🤝 Decision & Announcement
- Family + Agent Dinner: On June 4, 2025, after meeting with his family and agent at a Barcelona restaurant, Joan García gave his verbal agreement to join Barça—turning down interest from clubs like Arsenal and Manchester City (semprebarca.com).
- Release Clause Paid: Barcelona moved swiftly to trigger his €25 million release clause, setting up a five-year contract with the club (barcablaugranes.com).
👏 Praise & Expectations
- Goalkeeping Coach’s Endorsement: Joan Cañadas, his former coach at Damm and the Catalonia team, described García as a “complete keeper”—noting his ball-playing ability, command in the air, and strong mental attributes. He sees Joan as a long-term asset, especially with Ter Stegen’s injury uncertainties (cadenaser.com).
- Catalan Football President’s Approval: Joan Soteras, president of the Catalan Football Federation, praised García’s performances and said he “deserves to play at a big club like Barça”—forecasting a bright future, even possibly with Spain’s national team (as.com).
- La Liga Recognition: He secured back-to-back “Save of the Month” awards in February and March 2025, marking him as one of La Liga’s top shot-stoppers (en.wikipedia.org).
🚨 Rival Reactions & Controversy
- Espanyol Fans Feel Betrayed: Some supporters viewed the move as a sense of betrayal. García had emotively kissed the Espanyol badge after ensuring their top-flight survival, making the switch to their arch-rivals hard to swallow (as.com).
- Espanyol Boss Offers Caution: Manolo González advised Joan to prioritize playing time over prestige, expressing surprise at a possible transfer to Barça given Ter Stegen’s status. He even suggested a loan arrangement in the first year .
📋 Integration & Role at Barça
- Starting Number One? Barcelona reassured Joan that he would come in as a serious contender for the first-choice goalkeeper position—registration-ready, with guarantees—underlining that this is not a bench-warmer role .
- Squad Depth: With Marc-André ter Stegen returning from injury, plus Szczesny and Peña on the roster, the club clearly envisions competition in goal and long-term planning (barcablaugranes.com).
🧭 Final Thoughts
Barcelona’s strategy reflects a forward-thinking approach—investing €25 M in a young, dynamic goalkeeper with room to grow. From technical endorsements to official buy-in from Barça management, the transfer has been framed as both strategic and respectful of sporting integrity. Joan García arrives as a bold talent, ready to challenge for the helm and shape Barça’s goalkeeping future.
