Real Madrid left-back Fran Garcia was delighted to return to his boyhood club last summer, but things have not gone to plan this season. After starting the first seven games of the season, Ferland Mendy has taken over starting duties, and it looks as if Garcia could be on his way out this summer.
Mendy has turned things around at Real Madrid, and while there remains a chance he leaves for the right offer, Carlo Ancelotti is keen to hang onto him and renew the 29-year-old. The Frenchman has been important for Los Blancos this season, but on occasion, Eduardo Camavinga has even been used ahead of Garcia.
Los Blancos are trying to bring in Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies this summer too, and perhaps the only scenario that sees Garcia continue at the club is if Real Madrid cannot work out a deal for the Canadian who has a year left on his contract. It is also noted that with Dani Ceballos and Nacho Fernandez also potentially on the exit ramp, Garcia could remain in order to help complete the UEFA quota of Spanish or homegrown talent, requiring eight in the squad.
Garcia is aware that he has little chance of playing much next season if all goes to plan though, and Relevo say that he has come to terms with the fact that he will have to leave this summer in order to get more game time. Real Madrid also have an €8m buyback clause on Girona left-back Miguel Gutierrez, and are considering executing it this summer. They could potentially do so and sell him, or loan him back out to Girona in order to gain Champions League experience with his future uncertain, but there are those at Real Madrid who feel that Gutierrez is more likely to be a Real Madrid player down the line than Garcia.
Garcia, who moved to Rayo Vallecano three years ago from Castilla, was bought back for €5m last summer as competition for Mendy, who many were doubting. He had just come off the back of two excellent campaigns in Vallecas, and depending on the asking price, the 24-year-old should not be short of options. This season he has made 30 appearances, and still possesses an excellent engine, but has struggled defensively.