Arsenal have regular looked to the Spanish market over the last few years, and they look set to do so again in 2025 in their search for signings. The likes of Nico Williams and Martin Zubimendi are already on their radar, and another that they showed a lot of interest in last summer was Joan Garcia.
Arsenal wanted Garcia as their backup goalkeeper for this season, but after taking too long to sell Aaron Ramsdale, who eventually joined fellow Premier League side Southampton, a deal was ruled out as Espanyol demanded the goalkeeper’s release clause, which had risen to €30m during the final days of the transfer window.
However, that failure has not deterred Arsenal, who have re-ignited their interest in Garcia in recent weeks. And according to Football Insider (via ED), they are said to be “very confident” of closing a deal during this summer’s transfer window.
Garcia, who has been one of the standout goalkeepers in La Liga this season, will have a decision to make on his future, as the report states that Arsenal are prepared to trigger his release clause, which would prevent Espanyol from stopping a deal from taking place.
It is worth noting that Arsenal do not view Garcia any differently to last summer despite his impressive season. The idea would be for him to act as backup to starting goalkeeper and fellow Spaniard David Raya, which may not be an attractive prospect given that he has taken his chance at Espanyol over the last 12 months, having originally been on the bench for Los Pericos.
It remains to be seen whether Arsenal can tempt Garcia away from Espanyol. The truth is that the Catalans would probably welcome a sale given their financial woes, and especially so if they were to be relegated from La Liga at the end of the season.
