Soccer

Barcelona confirm Agüero and García with Wijnaldum to follow

Spanish defender García leaves Manchester City to return to Catalan club

Sergio Agüero at his unveiling as a Barcelona player after signing from Manchester City. Photo: Alejandro Garcia/EPA

Fabrizio Romano
Tue Jun 1 2021 - 10:18

Barcelona have confirmed deals to sign Sergio Agüero and Eric García when the pair’s contracts at Manchester City expire this month. The Spanish club also have an agreement to bring in Georginio Wijnaldum after his deal at Liverpool ends on June 31st and intend to take up an option on the right-back Emerson Royal.

Agüero will officially become a Barcelona player on July 1st on a contract to 2023 and the club said his buyout clause was €100m. He made a tearful exit from City on Saturday night after coming on as a substitute in the Champions League final defeat by Chelsea.

The Argentina international, who turns 33 on Wednesday, leaves City at end of his deal as their record goalscorer but his appearances in the most recent season were restricted by injuries and Covid.

García’s signing will also be completed on July 1st and his buyout clause is set at €400m on a contract to 2026. The 20-year-old is returning to the club where he spent years in the academy before joining City in 2017. The move was agreed in principle months ago with the defender.

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Wijnaldum will also become part of the Camp Nou rebuild, subject to a medical, on a contract to 2024, the midfielder having been at Liverpool since 2016. Barcelona, who are deciding whether to continue with Ronald Koeman as manager, have an option on Emerson as part of the deal under which they signed him from Atlético Mineiro in 2019 and loaned him to Real Betis for two seasons.

Emerson is part of the Brazil squad for the Copa América, which will be played in Brazil after a late venue switch. – Guardian