Barcelona centre-back Eric Garcia has joined fellow La Liga side Girona on loan for the 2023-24 season.
The Spain international departed Manchester City on a free transfer three years ago to return to Barcelona, where he spent nine years as a youth player between 2008 and 2017.
Garcia has scored one goal and set up two more in 70 matches since touching back down in Catalonia, but he has struggled to earn regular starts since Xavi took the reins.
With Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen also battling for minutes, Garcia only made the first XI in 15 La Liga games during the Blaugrana's triumphant 2022-23 campaign.
The arrival of Inigo Martinez from Athletic Bilbao pushed Garcia further down the pecking order, and the 22-year-old will now seek regular game time with Girona for the upcoming season.
Barcelona have confirmed that Garcia's move to Girona is a straight loan with no option or obligation to buy, and his contract at Camp Nou runs until the summer of 2026.
Girona have made a stellar start to the 2023-24 La Liga season with two wins and a draw from their opening three games, seeing them occupy third spot in the table behind Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.
Ben Knapton
