5 players who can replace Gerard Pique at Barcelona

#3 Eric Garcia | Manchester City

Eric Garcia is set to move to Barcelona at the end of the season

Eric Garcia might be a Manchester City player as things stand, but Barcelona have already agreed a deal to sign the La Masia graduate on a free transfer at the end of the season. Due to speculation surrounding his future and the arrival of Ruben Dias at the Etihad Stadium last year, the Spaniard has featured sparingly for the Cityzens in the 2020-21 season.

Garcia, however, is no stranger to the surroundings at the Camp Nou and is expected to complete his much-awaited return to Catalonia in the coming months. He is comfortable with the ball at his feet and has been lauded for his positional awareness and elegance.

Barcelona still want to sign Eric García of Manchester City. But it's true that the numbers previously agreed on must be reformulated, to the surprise of the player and his agent. The defender believes that his sacrifice by coming for free deserves to be respected. [md] pic.twitter.com/875fTnfw0Z

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 14, 2021

Under the tutelage of Gerard Pique, Barcelona will hope Garcia develops into a fine player in the coming years, as the prodigal son prepares to take the Camp Nou by storm after returning to his boyhood club.

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#2 Pau Torres | Villarreal

Villarreal CF v SD Eibar SAD - La Liga

Villarreal's Pau Torres is currently one of the most sought-after defenders in world football, as he continues to be linked with big-money moves to several top European clubs.

The 24-year-old is enjoying a fine season under Unai Emery and is being watched by the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Real Madrid, amongst others. Torres is a good reader of the game and tends to dominate opposition defenders aerially, while he has also developed a knack of scoring goals at the other end of the pitch.

The Spanish international is reportedly being watched by Barcelona, but the Catalans are unlikely to have a free run at him this summer. A bidding war could be on the cards for him in the coming months and the Blaugrana will need to blow other suitors out of the water to secure his signature.

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#1 Matthijs de Ligt | Juventus

Barcelona could make a big-money move for De Ligt at some point in the future

Matthijs de Ligt looked destined for a move to Barcelona two years ago, but Juventus moved swiftly to secure his signature in a move that sent shockwaves across Europe. The Dutchman started his career as a defensive midfielder but made his name as a center back, as he became Ajax's star attraction in their historic 2018-19 season.

A technically gifted defender who likes to play on the front foot, De Ligt loves to play the ball out from the back and is also dominant in the air. His skillset matches what Barcelona expect from a defender and it remains likely that they will make a move for him at some point in the future.

🗣 Matthijs de Ligt:“I had offers last summer from Juventus, PSG and Barcelona, so I studied the various options and at the end of the day concluded I could grow faster at Juve.“They have a particular style and I knew being here would make me a more complete player.”⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/qqwozXw3YF

— Goal (@goal) March 5, 2020

Frenkie de Jong could play an important role in any potential move for his compatriot, with the pair forging an understanding on and off the pitch during their time together at Ajax.

De Ligt reportedly has a release clause in his contract that kicks in next summer and it remains to be seen if Barcelona test Juventus' resolve when Pique eventually takes a backseat at the Camp Nou.

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