Bayer Leverkusen star confirms interest in La Liga return following past Barcelona talks | OneFootball

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Aleix Garcia has confirmed interest in returning to La Liga in the future, having been the subject of summer transfer interest from Barcelona.

Garcia played a crucial role in Girona's fairytale qualification for the Champions League last season and, in June, made the switch to Germany for around €18m (£15m). In the months preceding that move, the Catalan native had been heavily linked with Barcelona instead.

Barca have been short in midfield at times this season but lacked the financial ability to pull off multiple summer deals, negotiating a payment structure for Dani Olmo but struggling to register his contract with La Liga until Ilkay Gundogan had been sacrificed.

Garcia has had a circuitous route to the top, on the books at Manchester City for five years but enduring a disappointing spell in Romania before finding his feet at Girona in his mid-twenties.

Now 27, the Spain international hasn't been an instant success at Leverkusen, starting only six of the club's 20 games across all competitions, though he hopes coach Xabi Alonso is seeing more of him.

Garcia has become a Spain international since 2023 / Fran Santiago/GettyImages

"I have been lucky enough to score two goals in the last month and that gives me confidence and self-esteem. Xabi is starting to see different things in me to what the other midfielders in the team can contribute and we are finding the solution so that I can bring out my best qualities," Garcia told Mundo Deportivo.

"There are times when I am frustrated not to have the continuity that everyone likes, but I also accept it because I have arrived at a team where there is a lot of quality and it is a process. I feel better every time and Xabi can see it.

"It's difficult to answer [about medium and long-term ambitions]," he added. "Football changes from one day to the next. Right now, I'm very happy in Leverkusen and I have a five-year contract. I see myself returning to La Liga in the future. I'd like to go back, but I don't know when. Right now, I want to enjoy this experience and we'll see what the future holds.

"Yes, there was a lot of talk [about Barcelona]. If it didn't happen it was because they weren't 100% convinced or I don't know what happened. Yes, there were calls. It's nice that people from Barça called my agent, but if it didn't happen it was because it shouldn't have happened and I'm happy with the step I took."