Bayer Leverkusen signs Girona midfielder Aleix Garcia ahead of title defense

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 14, 2024 01:04 IST

Bayer Leverkusen has bolstered its midfield by signing Aleix Garcia from Spanish side Girona, the Bundesliga champions announced on Thursday. The 26-year-old midfielder has agreed to a five-year contract, marking a significant acquisition for the German club as they prepare to defend their league title. Garcia played a pivotal role in Girona's historic season, where the Catalan team achieved their best-ever finish in LaLiga, securing third place. As captain, Garcia led by example with three goals and six assists over 37 appearances, showcasing his leadership and skill on the field.

"Aleix Garcia is a player with outstanding strategic ability, his passing is extremely accurate and he plays with great vision from holding midfield," stated Simon Rolfes, Leverkusen's sporting managing director. "Aleix has leadership quality that will be very valuable to us in the coming years. We are happy we've been able to sign him and he will be an important factor in meeting our ambitious targets." Garcia, who made his debut for Spain in a European Championship qualifier against Cyprus last year, expressed his excitement about joining Leverkusen. "I've been thrilled that a club like this has done so much to get me," Garcia said. "Now I definitely want to fulfill all the expectations of me and make my contribution to this team and the club in continuing to be successful."

During Girona’s remarkable season, Garcia stood out with his precise passing, vision, and relentless effort in midfield. He was the league’s second-leading passer overall, contributing significantly to Girona's qualification for European competition for the first time with a Champions League berth. Despite being initially called up for Spain's European Championship squad, Garcia was dropped from the final roster just before the tournament, which starts on Friday in Germany.

Garcia is the second major signing for Leverkusen this off-season, following the acquisition of French defender Jeanuël Belocian from Rennes last week. Leverkusen, who clinched the Bundesliga title in April, ending Bayern Munich's 11-year reign, are determined to strengthen their squad further to maintain their dominance. Garcia's arrival coincided with a busy day in German football, highlighted by Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic's resignation and Bayern Munich’s signing of defender Hiroki Ito from Stuttgart.