Barcelona Brings Eric Garcia Back on Free Transfer From Manchester City

Garcia came through Barcelona's youth system before departing for Manchester, but he's returning on a free transfer after his contract at the Etihad expires.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona said Tuesday it reached a deal to sign defender Eric Garcia, bringing the 20-year-old defender home after he left the club in 2017 to join Manchester City.

Barcelona said Garcia’s five-year contract will begin July 1 after his City deal expires. A buyout clause in his contract is set at 400 million euros ($490 million).

Garcia joins Sergio Agüero in leaving City days after losing the Champions League final to join financially troubled Barcelona as free agents without a transfer fee.

Garcia will first join up with Spain’s squad for the European Championship. He is a regular member of the national squad despite not establishing himself in coach Pep Guardiola’s City team.

Accomplished on the ball, Garcia seemed to struggled to adapt to the typically physical side of playing in the Premier League.

Garcia’s career path follows one of his mentors at Barcelona, veteran defender Gerard Piqué.

Piqué left Barcelona as a teenager for Manchester United and returned four years later at the start of the Catalan club’s dominating era under Guardiola.