Bayer Levekusen want €20m for Aleix Garcia amid strong interest from Premier League outfit West Ham United, Softfootball reports.
The Hammers need reinforcements after starting the new Premier League season poorly, following defeat at newly promoted Sunderland and a heavy home loss to Chelsea. Also, West Ham crashed out of the Carabao Cup to Wolves yesterday.
German football expert, Florian Plettenberg through his official X handle informs that Leverkusen won’t allow the player leave on a cheap. He said:
“West Ham have concrete interest in Aleix Garcia. The clubs are in contact, and figures have been discussed verbally, but there is no formal offer yet. #WHUFC
“Leverkusen want at least around €20m for the 28 y/o midfielder.”
The 28-year-old is keen to leave the German outfit this summer since the arrival of Dutchman Erik Ten Hag. Interestingly, Garcia only joined the former Bundesliga champions last summer for €18m from LaLiga side Girona.
Garcia was a super regular under former manager Xabi Alonso last season. But the Spaniard has since left for Real Madrid and new Leverkusen manager Ten Hag doesn’t trust him in midfield.
Leverkusen are set to sign Ezequiel “Equi” Fernandez and the idea is to play him alongside captain Robert Andrich in midfield. Leaving Garcia with only a substitute role and he doesn’t want that in a season leading to the World Cup year.
West Ham see García as a perfect replacement for Edson Álvarez who left for Fenerbahce this summer because the Spaniard is an effective deep-lying playmaking midfielder known for his exceptional passing range, control, and set-piece delivery, capable of dictating tempo of the match and switching play from a deep position for quick transitions.
However, Garcia is sometimes used as a box-to-box midfielder, as he recycles the ball to almost perfection and launches attacks with precise long passes and dangerous free-kicks.
Garcia has registered just one assist for Leverkusen this season and that came in the opening round of DFB Pokal win over SG Sonnenhof Aspach.
