Girona manager Michel Sanchez has expressed confidence that they can maintain the core of players that got them to the Champions League next season, after declaring that Troyes loanee Savio Moreira is the ‘best player he’s ever had’. The 19-year-old Brazilian has been a revelation this season, but by all accounts will be signed by Manchester City in the summer, a third side in the City Football Group.

On Saturday evening Girona achieved an historic feat, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time, in just their fourth season in Spain’s top division. With a number of performing of loanees, including Savinho, and a number of players looking like prime targets for top sides, Michel told RAC1, via Sport, that he felt Viktor Tsygankov and Artem Dovbyk would remain next season.

“I think the Ukrainians will [stay], because they have a contract. And hopefully Savinho… He is the best player I have ever had. I don’t know if he is a Troyes or Manchester City player, but I know he is not our player. We’ll discuss it later.”

Equally captain Aleix Garcia has expressed a desire to play for Barcelona, and has been linked to Atletico Madrid previously too. Michel was adamant on Garcia’s future.

“No, no, no. Just like the Ukrainians, he has a contract, and I hope he continues.”

Meanwhile both Michel and Sporting Director Quique Carcel have expressed a desire to bring back Oriol Romeu in the past, but in contrast to before the Barcelona match, when Michel said that he would be ‘enjoying Eric Garcia for the final five games’,  this time he declared a desire to sign the central defender too.

“Oriol is a player that I have had here and I would like him to return. “Hopefully [Eric stays], Eric is a Barca player and would be a ‘top’ signing.”

In recent days there have been multiple reports that Eric would return to Barcelona and be part of the first team squad, as Xavi Hernandez had revealed. However Marca are reporting that Barcelona would be open to talks for both Romeu and Garcia, claiming the value of the latter is around €15m. They too would be keen to have Garcia back, but the large number of central defenders competing for a spot in central defence, and the financial issues in the Catalan capital, mean that there is no certainty over his future.