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Barcelona fans online were left excited after the club announced Joan Garcia as their new goalkeeper signing. The 24-year-old Espanyol star signed for the Catalans for six years after they paid his reported €25 million release clause.
Joan Garcia delivered an exceptional performance for Espanyol last season, making multiple key saves to prevent the club from relegation. The Spanish shot-stopper maintained eight clean sheets in 51 outings for the Catalan side across competitions. Garcia is expected to be Barcelona's starting goalkeeper from next season, ahead of Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Wojciech Szczesny.
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Fans took to X to react to Barcelona's official announcement after signing Joan Garcia, with many happy about him replacing Ter Stegen. One Culer alluded to Lionel Messi's alleged difficult relationship with the German keeper, and wrote:
"Messi would’ve been so happy to see Ter Stegen get replaced… 💔 😭"
"We can now donate Ter Stegen," another user joked.
"We are finally free from Ter Stegen. you guys have no idea what this means to me. this is a guy who's traumatised my entire teenage life," a fan chimed in.
"Already better than ter Stegen in my eyes," a Culer added.
Fans continued to share their excitement about Garcia seemingly replacing Ter Stegen. One fan opined:
"No more ter stegen we’re finally free 🙏🏼"
"Stegen has started his arabic class," another fan jibed.
"Espanyol should take revenge by signing our captain ter stegen," an X user commented.
Joan Garcia bids an emotional farewell to Espanyol after signing for Barcelona
Hours ahead of Barcelona announcing Joan Garcia as their new player, the Espanyol goalkeeper took to social media to share an emotional farewell message for his former club. In a video shared on Instagram, he said (translation via Barca Blaugranes):
"I know that this decision will not be easy for everyone. I’m not asking you to understand it, but I want you to know that it’s a very thoughtful decision that I’ve considered not only for my career, but also for the good of the club, my family and me."
He continued:
"It’s not a final goodbye, but a stage that closes with the conviction that everything I’ve experienced has made me better. You made me feel part of something so great. I leave with a heart full of gratitude, realizing that this path has been full of beautiful moments and difficult ones, but all of them have helped me grow. I have defended these colors with everything I have, and that will always be my pride. Now a new challenge begins, which I face with enthusiasm, but also with a lot of respect for everything I leave behind. Thank you for everything. Goodbye."
With Joan Garcia expected to be Barcelona's starting goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny will reportedly be relegated to a secondary role. The Polish shot-stopper's contract ends this month, but he could also extend for another year, per reports.
Meanwhile, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is reportedly unwilling to leave the club with his deal valid until June 2028. The German shot-stopper has multiple takers in the transfer market, including Galatasaray and Manchester United. Garcia is expected to be presented as a new Barcelona player on Friday, June 20.
