£15m ace explains Tottenham and West Ham snub with Champions League ‘the goal’

Who needs money, anyway. For one on-the-move midfielder, fairytales matter more than finances. Hence why he has just overlooked the riches of the Premier League to join a club who pulled off their own Leicester City-style miracle in 2024.

Before his £15 million switch was confirmed, that Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and West Ham United all had conversations about a man who has just jumped off the pages off one fantastical yarn and straight into the plot of another.

Aleix Garcia was the midfield maestro at the heart of Girona’s successful Champions League charge in 2023/24. Come 2024/25, he will be pulling the strings for a Bayer Leverkusen side hoping to defend their Bundesliga and DFB Pokal double; the team formerly known as ‘Neverkusen’ finally retiring that despised nickname during an astounding campaign under Xabi Alonso.

Premier League trio miss out on Bayer Leverkusen newbie
Speaking to Catalonian radio stadion RAC1 following his switch to the Bay Arena, Garcia admitted that he could have earned more money elsewhere. But neither Tottenham nor West Ham could rival the elite, European action on offer at Leverkusen.

“I had better financial opportunities. But the Champions League was the goal,” Garcia begins, while also admitting that there was truth to thise lingering Barcelona rumours.

“I know there was interest (from the Camp Nou), but I know that there was never an official offer.”

Of course, Aston Villa will be joining Girona and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League next term. Like Girona, Villa secured qualification for the very first time via a fourth-place finsh under Unai Emery. It appears that Villa’s interest was not quite as concrete as Leverkusen’s however. The Midland giants are focusing on bringing Ross Barkley back from Luton Town, while the distraction of Douglas Luiz‘s potential switch to Juventus rumbles on.

Weston McKennie, a long-time Aston Villa target, might still move in the other direction but that appears more uncertain with every day that passes.

Garcia, capped twice by Spain since his Roja debut in 2023, spent five years at Manchester City before leaving for Dinamo Bucharest. He even made four Premier League appearances during Pep Guardiola’s first season in the Etihad Stadium dugout.

Flash forward nearly a decade, and Garcia is now sharing a dressing room with another Spanish tactician. One who could yet end up challenging Guardiola for the game’s biggest honours.

Xabi Alonso plays major role in discussions
“The image of Xabi Alonso was important to me. The talks with him convinced me,” Garcia adds, liking up with his World Cup and Champions League-winning compatriot.

“(Leverkusen) do things very well. I had a similar feeling to Girona. It’s a very family-oriented club, but more used to being at the top.”

It was a very difficult decision. Five minutes before I said ‘yes’ to the move, I spoke to (Girona) coach Michel, because my priority was to keep going.

“But sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to.”

HITC, meanwhile, has been told that Girona are facing a battle holding onto Garcia’s former team-mate. Star striker and La Liga Golden Boot winner Artem Dovbyk is a target for Atletico Madrid. Manchester City, meanwhile, see the powerhouse Ukrainian as a potential long-term replacement for Erling Haaland later down the line.

Tricky winger Savio has already swapped Girona for City this summer.