Bournemouth are interested in signing Fran Garcia from Real Madrid.
Head coach Andoni Iraola is known to be a big fan of the 24-year-old and the Premier League side are keen on recruiting him this summer.
Madrid are prioritising other options for the left-back position. They already have Ferland Mendy, whose contract runs out in 2025. Carlo Ancelotti wants him to be renewed, but the club has doubts about offering him a substantial pay rise because of the player’s age and injury history.
Madrid are also interested in signing Alphonso Davies and are waiting to see if Bayern Munich set a fair price for him. Another alternative pending this deal is Miguel Gutierrez, who left for Girona in 2022 but can be bought back for €8million this summer.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, signed left-back Milos Kerkez last summer but recently lost Lloyd Kelly, who joined Newcastle United last month.
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Garcia, a Spain international, featured in 25 La Liga matches for Madrid last season, scoring one goal and assisting on five occasions.
Although his professionalism and efforts are valued, his performances have not been convincing and if a good offer arrives that he is happy with, he would be willing to negotiate a move elsewhere.
Having signed for Madrid from Bolanos in 2013, Garcia rose through the academy ranks before making his senior debut for the club in 2018, coming on as a second half substitute for Dani Carvajal in a 6-1 home win against UD Melilla.
Garcia left the Spanish capital on loan to join Rayo Vallecano for the 2020-21 season and subsequently signed permanently with the club, when Iraola was their head coach. However, Madrid exercised their buy-back clause and right of first refusal to re-sign him in June 2023.
He has been capped twice for Spain, but missed out on a place in Luis de la Fuente’s squad for this summer’s European Championship.
(Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
