Barcelona to activate Joan García's release clause

 

FC Barcelona’s pursuit of Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García reached a new phase this weekend after Espanyol’s CEO Mao Ye Wu laid down an unambiguous condition: Barça must pay García’s full release clause to secure the transfer. On June 8, at a fan-club gathering, Mao Ye made clear that despite recent reports of an agreement in principle, Espanyol will not negotiate on price. As he put it, “the contract is the contract… we have no intention of negotiating the clause. Not with Barça or anyone else.” In other words, any buying club – specifically Barcelona in this case – must simply “execute the clause” and pay the agreed €25 million fee (plus any inflation adjustment) if they want to complete the deal. This blunt stance underscores that Barça has no room to haggle: they must meet Espanyol’s asking price or abandon the move.
Graphic from local media heralding Joan García’s reported “sí” (yes) to Barcelona. Despite such optimistic coverage, Espanyol’s management has insisted that Barça must pay the full €25m buyout to sign the 24-year-old goalkeeper.

Joan García: Espanyol’s Hero Between the Posts

Joan García (24) has emerged over the past year as one of Spain’s most promising young goalkeepers. A graduate of RCD Espanyol’s youth academy, he became the club’s first-choice keeper in 2024 and arguably carried Espanyol to safety in La Liga. Indeed, it was thanks in no small part to García’s heroics between the posts that Espanyol avoided relegation at the end of last season. His commanding performances and maturity under pressure have drawn plaudits, and even caught the eye of bigger clubs. Media have linked García with Premier League interest this summer. In practice, however, sources say García personally prefers a move to Barcelona. Several outlets reported that the player gave his final approval to Barça in early June after a meeting with his entourage, suggesting the Blaugrana had already won his signature in principle.
Under contract at Espanyol until 2028, García still has years ahead at the Catalan club. The €25m release clause in that contract (around $28.5m) reflects both his potential and the lifeline this sale provides to Espanyol. Espanyol’s management has stressed that this clause is fully up-to-date with inflation (CPI adjustments), meaning the price will only go higher over time. According to one report, the buyout clause will jump by an extra €5m if exercised late in the summer window, and could reach €30m if García earns a Spain call-up (e.g. for the forthcoming Nations League finals). These stipulations give Barcelona a strong incentive to finalize the payment as soon as possible.

Squad Impact: A New Number One in the Making

For Barcelona, signing Joan García is about more than just a transfer fee – it’s a statement on the future of the goalkeeping position. García is seen as a long-term solution between the posts and could ultimately displace the veteran Marc-André ter Stegen. Club reports suggest Barça has effectively promised García a leading role from the start. In fact, the club offered him the possibility of being a starter under the orders of Hansi Flick. In other words, Barça sees García as a player who can immediately challenge (and possibly supplant) Ter Stegen as the No.1.
Ter Stegen, 33, has been Barcelona’s first-choice goalkeeper for years and only recently signed a contract extension. However, the prospect of a 24-year-old arrival has reportedly ruffled feathers. Reports indicate Ter Stegen was left angered by Barcelona’s chase for Joan García, though the German ‘keeper has insisted he will not be “forced out” of the club. In practical terms, this means Ter Stegen remains committed to fighting for his place. The signing of García would add depth and competition at a key position. It would also effectively create a three-goalkeeper situation (with Inaki Peña and maybe Pau Víctor as backups), prompting speculation that Barcelona will have to manage other departures to make room.
From a tactical standpoint, García’s arrival fits Barcelona’s strategy of bolstering the team with young talent while continuing to compete at the highest level. His attributes – strong reflexes, height (around 1.88m), and good ball-playing skills – suit Hansi Flick’s style of building from the back. Unlike some past seasons when Barça had to rely heavily on academy products, the double-winning 2024–25 squad already had significant French influence (Koundé, Raphinha) and a maturing La Masia core. García’s signing would continue the trend of combining veteran experience (Ter Stegen, Lewandowski, etc.) with emerging prospects. As Barça sporting director Deco has noted in other contexts, adding competition and depth was a priority after winning the league and cup. In that sense, García not only addresses a sporting need but also hedges against future turnover.

Financial Fair Play and Transfer Timing

A central question is how Barcelona will satisfy Espanyol’s financial demand amid its own fiscal constraints. The club is reportedly ready to trigger García’s full buyout clause (approximately €25m) but must carefully manage its spending under La Liga’s strict financial rules. Espanyol’s Mao Ye reminded everyone that Barça will have to pay in cash. The agreement is clear that Barcelona will have to pay 25 million net (plus CPI) to close the transfer. This payment has not yet been made, according to insiders.
Barcelona’s president Joan Laporta and CEO Deco have in recent weeks secured various funds to free up their budget. The club is counting on revenue from VIP ticket sales (reportedly 475 premium seats) and recent player sales to return to La Liga’s 1:1 rule (meaning every euro spent on new players must be offset by one euro in sales). For example, the club sold Jean-Clair Todibo to West Ham (activating a €40m clause) and Álvaro Valle to Como, generating around €14m net. The estimate is that Barça will need on the order of €11 million to register García: roughly €5m represents his transfer fee amortized in one year, plus about €6m to cover his first-year salary commitments.
In practice, Barcelona appears willing to pay the clause immediately but delay García’s official registration until July. This tactic was used last summer with midfielder Dani Olmo, and Barça reportedly has a plan to do the same here. The club has everything closed to make García a Barça player and will pay the €25m, but his registration will officially enter the squad in July once fair-play conditions are met. In the interim, García is on holiday and waiting out the process, fully expecting to don Barcelona colors next season. La Liga’s summer market opens on June 16, giving Barca a short window to wrap up the paperwork.
The timing is important: if Barcelona waits too long, the release clause jumps. Reports note that after mid-June the clause will rise by €5m, and if García gets a late-season international call-up it could reach €30m. In other words, each passing week increases the financial hurdle. Barcelona’s urgency is understandable. In fact, sources say the club does not plan to delay the operation much; it would prefer to resolve the deal this week to avoid alerting other suitors. Espanyol’s Mao Ye echoed the tight timeline, hinting that the sale could be closed this week as Barcelona does not want rivals to swoop in.
In summary, Barcelona must move quickly. The coming days will likely involve final discussions between club officials and García’s representatives to finalize the transfer. Once the €25m clause is formally paid, Barcelona will announce the signing and then manage the delayed paperwork. Until then, García remains technically an Espanyol player – Mao Ye emphasized that “as of today, Joan García is an Espanyol player… as of now nothing has happened” – but with everything in place, it is only a matter of time.

Looking Ahead

If the deal concludes as expected, Joan García will become one of Barcelona’s first official signings of the 2025–26 season. He will likely replace or compete with Marc-André ter Stegen as the starting goalkeeper. Crucially, the move frees Barcelona from having to use scarce funds on a very expensive winger or midfielder; instead they invest in a position identified as a priority. It also signals continuity of their squad-building model: adding a promising, homegrown prospect at a premium, while balancing finances through strategic sales.
Barcelona’s handling of the García transfer will also be a test case for its financial management. The club has repeatedly stressed that it must respect La Liga’s cost controls even while strengthening the team. As Mao Ye stated bluntly, Barça “has to respect what is signed”. Now the ball is in Barcelona’s court: they know the price, and they know they need to act fast. If everything goes according to plan, Joan García will arrive at the Spotify Camp Nou in July as Barca’s new goalkeeper, ready to execute the clause of his contract.