Anderlecht Pursues Santi Garcia as Saliba Replacement

Anderlecht’s response to losing Nathan Saliba to Villarreal is already taking shape. The Belgian club are closing in on a target, and the spotlight has swung to Portugal.

According to HLN, Anderlecht are exploring a move for Santi Garcia, the dynamic midfielder currently at Gil Vicente. The Portuguese club initially pushed for a fee north of €10m. That stance has softened slightly, but the ambition remains clear: they want Garcia to become the most expensive outgoing transfer in the club’s history.

This is not a one-season wonder plucked from obscurity. Garcia’s path has been slower, more rugged.

He grew up in Spain’s system at Getafe, trained with the first team, but broke through only once at senior level. One appearance, then the door closed. In 2024, he walked away from Spanish football and took a gamble, joining Gil Vicente on a free transfer.

It paid off quickly.

Garcia immediately nailed down a place in the side, playing 30 matches in his first campaign. He chipped in with four goals and two assists, steady numbers that hinted at more to come.

Then came last season.

The 24-year-old shifted from promising to pivotal, delivering a genuine breakout year: six goals and three assists across 34 games, driving Gil Vicente from midfield and catching the eye of scouts beyond Portugal.

Now Anderlecht, needing to fill the void left by Saliba, are weighing up whether Garcia is worth a club-record fee for Gil Vicente. The numbers say he is ready for the next step. The price tag will decide how badly Anderlecht want him.