Anderlecht Targets Santi Garcia as Saliba Successor

Anderlecht’s response to losing Nathan Saliba to Villarreal is taking shape. The Belgian club have turned their attention to Portugal, where Santi Garcia has emerged as a serious candidate to fill the midfield void.

According to HLN, Anderlecht are exploring a deal for the Gil Vicente midfielder, with the Portuguese club initially holding out for a fee in excess of €10m. That stance has softened. Gil Vicente are now understood to be willing to negotiate slightly below that figure, but they still expect Garcia to become the most expensive sale in the club’s history. They know what they have, and they intend to cash in properly.

Garcia’s path has not been a straight line. He trained in Spain with Getafe and broke into the first-team picture only briefly, making a single senior appearance. Then he walked away from Spanish football in 2024, joining Gil Vicente on a free transfer that barely registered outside Portugal.

It did not stay quiet for long.

Garcia immediately nailed down a place in the side, playing 30 games in his first season. Four goals, two assists, and a growing influence between the lines marked him out as more than just a bargain pick-up. He grew into the role, dictating play, timing his runs, adding bite in midfield.

Last season he kicked the door down. The 24-year-old turned a solid debut campaign into a genuine breakout year: six goals and three assists across 34 games, and a far greater weight on his shoulders in the heart of the team. Those numbers will not shock anyone used to double-figure returns, but for a midfielder whose game leans on intelligence, timing, and balance, they underline a player on an upward curve.

That is exactly the profile Anderlecht are chasing. Young, proven at senior level, still with room to grow and, crucially, with resale value. Losing Saliba to Villarreal left a gap in both quality and potential; Garcia offers a way to plug both.

The deal will hinge on how far Anderlecht are prepared to push. Gil Vicente want a record fee. Anderlecht want value and a player ready to step straight into a side that expects to compete at the top end of the table.

If they meet in the middle, Garcia’s next step could run through Brussels – and Gil Vicente’s most expensive export might soon be anchoring another rebuild.