Barcelona defender tipped to become the next captain as German international closes in on exit

Marc-Andre ter Stegen is closing in on joining Ajax on a loan deal this summer, as part of Barcelona’s summer clean-up.

The German international is no longer part of Hansi Flick’s setup and it is only a matter of time before his transfer is officiated. His exit is set to create a vacancy when it comes to leadership at Barcelona.

That is where Eric Garcia comes into the fray.

Garcia tipped to replace ter Stegen as captain

Ter Stegen’s exit will create a leadership vacancy. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

According to Diario SPORT, Eric Garcia is gaining ground to become one of Barcelona’s official captains following ter Stegen’s departure.

The selection of Barcelona’s captains has, for the past few years, been decided by the players themselves, with the voting criteria typically based on years of service. On that front, few surprises are expected.

Ronald Araujo is tipped to become the first captain, as was the case last season when ter Stegen left on loan, with Frenkie de Jong, Raphinha and Pedri following in order. The group would then be completed by a fifth captain, and all signs point to Garcia filling that role.

Should he do so, it would allow a homegrown player who joined Barcelona as a child to become one of the squad’s official representatives.

A deserving candidate

Eric Garcia will be a deserving captain at Barcelona. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Garcia’s case for the armband is a strong one, both for his history at the club and his growing importance under Flick.

The 25-year-old came through every level of Barcelona’s youth ranks, always wearing the captain’s armband, before leaving for Manchester City at 16 and later returning to his boyhood club.

He also wore the armband on several occasions last season, including from the start in the league win at San Mames.

His influence on the pitch has been undeniable too. Garcia played 96 official matches across two seasons under Flick, who considers him indispensable, featuring in every defensive position.

Last season alone he made 51 appearances, more than any other Barcelona player, starting 47 of them.

That form even earned him a place at the World Cup, where he came on late in the final and helped Spain secure their second title, winning all of his duels in a composed cameo.