FC Barcelona's chances of signing Manchester City's Spain international defender Eric Garcia in the January transfer window received a boost on Thursday when he was left out of City's squad for the Champions League.

Barca coach Ronald Koeman made no secret of his wish to see the 19-year-old return to the Camp Nou, but Barcelona were unable to close a deal before the transfer window closed on Monday night.

That means Barca have to rely on Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet and the youngster Ronald Araujo until the next transfer window, with Samuel Umtiti struggling with knee problems and not in the new coach's plans.

Garcia has so far failed to sign a new contract with Manchester City and with his current deal due to expire next June, the club must now decide whether to try and cash in on him in January or to see him move for free at the end of the season.

His only first team appearance in this season was in Manchester City's 5-2 defeat at home to Leicester City on September 27th.

The club strengthened its defense this summer by signing Nathan Ake from Bournemouth and Ruben Dias from Benfica. The new signings and Aymeric Laporte's return from injury will push Garcia down the pecking order.

These three players have all been included in the squad for the Champions League along with John Stones, who remains at Manchester City despite his erratic form since joining from Everton in 2016.

Elsewhere Arsenal have decided to leave Mesut Ozil out of their 25-man squad for the Europa League, which means the German, who still has a year left on his contract, has played his last game for the club. 

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