WOULD THIS TRADE HAVE BEEN BENEFICIAL FOR BARÇA?
The unexpected exchange that could have occurred between FC Barcelona and PSG
Published:13/09/2024 - 09:35h
Updated:13/09/2024 - 18:09h
FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain could have been involved in an unexpected exchange during the recently concluded summer market. This exchange involved two players who can play both as defenders and midfielders, but in the end it did not come to fruition
Even though the summer transfer market of 2024/25 came to a close a week ago and a few days, there are still emerging reports about transactions that could have taken place but, for some reason, did not materialize. Recently, an unexpected operation that could have occurred between two teams whose institutional relationship does not seem to be the best in recent times has come to light: FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
At this point, as expressed on the show 'El club de la mitjanit', apparently the renowned Portuguese agent, Jorge Mendes, who has connections with both Barça and PSG, proposed a player swap between the two teams. In this scenario, it is speculated that the Catalans would acquire the services of Danilo Pereira in exchange for sending Eric García to the Parisian side.
Mendes seemingly took into account the fact that the French club wanted to offload the experienced Portuguese midfielder and that Barcelona needed to strengthen its midfield. Therefore, he suggested the possibility of this transaction, including Eric García, a player whom Luis Enrique favors, having handed him his debut for the Spanish national team in 2020 and considering him on more than one occasion as his starting defender in the national team.
However, in the end, the deal did not materialize, possibly because FC Barcelona did not show enough interest. Why? Danilo Pereira, who was once considered a 'low-cost' option to reinforce the midfield and the Blaugrana defense at the end of the market, seemed to not be highly valued in Barça's sports planning, as a player whose glory days appear to be behind him.
Eric García, a valuable asset in FC Barcelona's sporting project
Furthermore, the asset that the Barcelona team was supposed to offer, Eric García, is highly valued by Hansi Flick, who prevented his departure this summer. Apparently, the German coach not only sees him as a defender but also as a midfielder. In fact, in a couple of matches played so far in the 2024/25 LaLiga EA Sports season, the Martorell native has played as a pivot, showcasing his versatility by being able to perform even as a right-back. This versatility is very valuable for a Barcelona team that, due to injuries, may be considered to have a somewhat short squad.
