Aleix GarcÃÂa Serrano (; ; born 28 June 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Bayer Leverkusen and the Spain national team.
Born in Ulldecona, Tarragona, Catalonia, GarcÃÂa joined Villarreal CF's youth setup in 2005, aged eight, after starting out at CF Ulldecona. He made his senior debut with the reserves in Segunda División B on 26 April 2014 at only 16 years of age, coming on as a late substitute in a 1âÂÂ0 away win against CF Badalona.
GarcÃÂa featured for the C team in the 2014âÂÂ15 season, also appearing for the B side in the same campaign. He made his first team â and La Liga â debut on 23 May 2015, replacing Antonio Rukavina in a 4âÂÂ0 loss at Athletic Bilbao.
On 27 August 2015, GarcÃÂa joined Premier League side Manchester City. He was selected by then-City manager Manuel Pellegrini against Chelsea on 21 February 2016 in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
GarcÃÂa made his first Premier League appearance on 17 September 2016, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute in a 4âÂÂ0 home win against Bournemouth. On 21 September, he started in an EFL Cup match against Swansea City, scoring his first goal for the club in the 2âÂÂ1 away win. He next started a month later on 26 October, in another EFL Cup match, a 1âÂÂ0 loss to Manchester United.
On 1 August 2017, GarcÃÂa was loaned to newly promoted La Liga club Girona FC until the end of the season. He was loaned again for the 2018âÂÂ19 season.
GarcÃÂa was loaned to Belgian side Royal Excel Mouscron for the 2019âÂÂ20 season.
On 8 October 2020, he signed a contract with Romanian club Dinamo BucureÃÂti, until the end of the season. On 18 January 2021, after featuring sparingly, he returned to Spain and its top tier after signing for Eibar on a free transfer.
On 23 July 2021, GarcÃÂa returned to Girona on a two-year contract, with the club now in Segunda División. He made his return debut for the club on 14 August, the first matchday of the 2021âÂÂ22 season, starting in a 2âÂÂ0 victory against Amorebieta. On 2 December 2021, GarcÃÂa scored his first goal for the club upon returning, closing the score in a 5âÂÂ1 away win in the Copa del Rey over fourth tier Calvo Sotelo Puertollano. He made 45 total appearances for the club in his first season, helping the club reach promotion to La Liga in the play-offs.
On 26 February 2023, GarcÃÂa opened the scoring in a historic 3âÂÂ2 win over Athletic Bilbao, Girona's first ever win away against Athletic at San Mamés.
On 13 June 2024, after a successful season for Girona, Garcia moved to Bayer Leverkusen for more than â¬18 million.
GarcÃÂa was a youth international footballer for Spain. On 10 November 2023, he was called up for the senior national team for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying matches. On 16 November, he made his debut in a 3âÂÂ1 away win over Cyprus.
On 27 May 2024, he was selected in the 29-man preliminary squad for the UEFA Euro 2024. However, on 7 June, he was excluded from the final squad prior to the tournament.
Bayer Leverkusen
Girona
Individual