Barcelona are facing a financial crisis and competition from Bayer Leverkusen in their pursuit of the midfielder

Barcelona face financial and competitive challenges if they are to sign reported target Aleix Garcia from neighbors Girona this summer.

Veteran midfielder Oriol Romeu is said to be set to return to Girona, the club he joined in an €8m deal last summer, with Barca looking to improve.

Garcia has been key to Girona’s impressive Champions League run again Marca writes that the 26-year-old player is loved by Barca’s sporting officials and head coach Xavi. But a price in excess of 20 million euros is thought to be a problem at the Camp Nou.

That number could increase if Garcia is included in Spain’s squad for Euro 2024. He made his senior national team debut in November 2023 but was not selected for the recent international break in March, suggesting it is unlikely.

Newly crowned Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen pose another problem for Barca with rival interest. And where the money will come from Sevilla and Real Betis, Leverkusen, who will return to the Champions League next season, will have the resources to do a deal.

If Leverkusen retain their key players this summer and strengthen further under the watchful eye of Xabi Alonso, many may consider them dark horse contenders to win the Champions League after a historic unbeaten season in Germany. Alonso’s side could even win their first European trophy in 36 years on Wednesday when they play in the Europa League final.

As for Garcia, his path to the top took a somewhat circuitous route. He was only 18 years old when he was kicked out of the Villarreal school by Manchester City but he appeared to be only nine. This is actually his second spell at Girona after a two-year loan spell from 2017 to 2019, while also playing in Belgium and Romania, before finding his feet with Girona in Spain’s second division.

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