Barcelona’s preparations for the new year of the campaign have taken centre stage this week, with Hansi Flick continuing to push squad stability as a non-negotiable priority behind the scenes.
The Catalans are still navigating a demanding fixture list, forcing the manager to rotate heavily while leaning on younger players who have exceeded expectations.
Key members of the squad are returning from international duty with heightened confidence, giving the coaching staff fresh solutions at a time when consistency has become critical.
The club’s hierarchy, meanwhile, remains focused on reinforcing long-term planning as uncertainty over several contracts has created growing debate among supporters.
With the January window approaching, internal decisions are under scrutiny, and Barcelona’s approach to protecting their most dependable performers has become a major talking point.
That conversation intensified this week as the club moved decisively to secure the future of one of their most influential players.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle with Eric Garcia over a new long-term contract following weeks of negotiations between both parties.
The deal arrives at a crucial moment, with Garcia’s current contract set to expire at the end of the season.
The 24-year-old had received interest from PSG, who placed a concrete offer on the table, but the defender opted to remain in Barcelona, the club he refers to as home, where he is settled within the dressing room and surrounded by several La Masia graduates and familiar national team teammates.
Inside the club, Eric Garcia is viewed as essential to the team’s structure, a sentiment shared by Flick, who has made it clear that he does not want to lose the versatile defender under any circumstances.
Barcelona even consider him a potential future captain, a reflection of the trust he has earned since returning from his loan at Girona.
That loan spell, and the near-departure last January had Flick not intervened, now feels like a distant memory.
Garcia has since become the player with the most minutes in the squad, delivering consistently regardless of where he has been asked to play across the back line or in midfield.
The agreement now enters its final formalisation stage, with the renewal expected to tie Garcia to the club until 2030, bringing an end to speculation over his future.
An official announcement may not be far away, offering Flick a significant boost as Barcelona continue shaping the core of their long-term project.
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