Eric Garcia has revealed he will stay at Manchester City this season despite refusing to sign a new contract with Pep Guardiola's side.
New Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman is keen to bring the defender back to the club with Garcia having graduated through the club's famous La Masia academy.
But Garcia, who finds himself out of contract in Manchester next summer, has said he is 'focused on next season with City' which appears to rule out an imminent switch to Barcelona.
'It is true I have told the club I do not intend to extend my contract beyond 2021,' Garcia told Marca.
'But I will return to Manchester when I am finished on international duty with Spain, and I am focused on next season with City.'
Garcia has been called up to the senior Spain squad for the first time for their fixtures against Germany and Ukraine.
The 19-year-old has had to remain patient under Pep Guardiola but has impressed when partnering Aymeric Laporte in the centre of the City defence.
He started the Champions League quarter-final defeat to Lyon and the club appear to retain hope that they can convince Garcia into a u-turn on a new deal.
Garcia featured 22 times in all competitions for City during the 2019-20 season and the Citizens lost just two out of the 13 matches in which he featured in defence.
Koeman is planning a youth overhaul of the Barcelona squad he has inherited with Luis Suarez and Arturo Vidal pushed to the exit and Ivan Rakitic already sent back to his former club Sevilla.
