Barça announces the signing of Joan García: "A Catalan product"

It's official: Joan García is FC Barcelona's new player. The Blaugrana announced this Wednesday the signing of the Spanish goalkeeper from RCD Espanyol. He joins the club after paying his release clause (25 million euros). He becomes a new Barcelona player for the next six seasons and puts an end to several weeks of rumors regarding his arrival at Hansi Flick 's team, who sees his wish to strengthen his goalkeeping position for the next season fulfilled.

"FC Barcelona has activated the release clause of player Joan Garcia. The clause cost €25 million plus the CPI. This Friday, the player will sign a contract with Barça for the next six seasons, until June 30, 2031, in a private ceremony at the FC Barcelona offices," the Blaugrana club announced.

A few hours earlier, his former club, RCD Espanyol, announced the early payment of his buyout clause. "Goalkeeper Joan García has paid his buyout clause—25 million plus the CPI— and is ending his time as a player with RCD Espanyol," the blue and white club confirmed in a brief statement.

The 24-year-old Catalan goalkeeper arrives at Barça after an excellent campaign with the Blue and Whites, starting in all 38 LaLiga EA Sports matches and keeping a clean sheet on eight occasions. The player from Sallent de Llobregat (Barcelona) has made a total of 146 saves during these matches, making him the goalkeeper with the most saves in the entire competition, ahead of Spaniard Sergio Herrera (132) and Serbian Marko Dmitrovic (104).

With all these saves, García has been a key player in Espanyol's continued presence in the First Division, as they see a youth player and key member of their team leave for their eternal rival. Meanwhile, Hansi Flick has acquired the goalkeeper he wanted to strengthen his goalkeeping position, although he now faces a dilemma, with up to three goalkeepers still under contract.

Hansi Flick will have to decide who starts.

Following the signing of the Catalan goalkeeper, the Blaugrana have Marc-André ter Stegen (2028), Iñaki Peña (2026), and Joan García (2031) under contract for next season. Furthermore, Polish player Wojciech Szczesny is reportedly close to signing a new contract, meaning the German coach could have up to four players available for the same position.

Flick will have to decide who will be his starting goalkeeper for next season, a battle in which the Catalan goalkeeper supposedly has a certain advantage after the Barcelona club's heavy investment in his signing. However, Ter Stegen is also aiming for a starting spot after returning last May from a complete tear of the patellar tendon in his right knee, so the German coach will have to determine who will be his starting goalkeeper.

With the announcement of his signing, García confirms his departure from Espanyol, the club he joined in 2016 from CF Damm. The Catalan goalkeeper made his first-team debut in the 2021/22 season, making four appearances across LaLiga EA Sports and the Copa del Rey. However, he didn't become a starter until the final stretch of the 2023/24 season.

The Sallent native was instrumental in Manolo González's team's promotion to the First Division. He maintained this excellent performance in the last edition of LaLiga EA Sports, making 146 saves, which were key to the Blue and Whites' survival. Now, after 67 appearances for Espanyol, Joan García is heading to Barça, with whom he has signed for the next six seasons, taking a new step in his sporting career at the age of 24.

"A great performance, coupled with his spectacular potential at 24 years old, has made him the target of many of the world's biggest clubs , and also of Deco, who has ended up signing a goalkeeper with outstanding current prospects and an even brighter future," FC Barcelona explained in their welcome statement for the Catalan goalkeeper.