Report: Manchester City to sign Barcelona youth star this week

A report from Spanish outlet Marca suggests Manchester City are ready to trigger the €1.5m release clause to bring 16-year-old defender Eric García, one of the most promising players in La Masia, Barcelona's youth academy. Should the move be finalized Barcelona will have lost two highly rated youngsters in a matter of days as forward Jordi Mboula recently left the club for French champions Monaco.

City manager Pep Guardiola is said to admire the young center-back and sees a bright future for García. This isn't the first player to leave La Masia for the Premier League as players such as Cesc Fàbregas and Hector Bellerín have left the Catalan club with England offering a better path to first team football.

García and his agent, Barça legend Carles Puyol, both believe that City’s youth setup can help Eric grow into the best player he can be. The youngster is said to resemble Barça star Gerard Piqué in terms of playing style and would surely become one of City’s best defensive prospects should the deal finalize.