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Arsenal are on the verge of securing a deal for Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia as they seek strong competition for current No. 1 David Raya.
The 24-year-old Spaniard has also attracted interest from Premier League rivals Bournemouth and Aston Villa ahead of the summer transfer window, but the Gunners are reportedly leading the race and are close to finalising an agreement.
Arsenal are set to return Neto to Bournemouth following the expiry of his loan spell, and manager Mikel Arteta is keen to bolster his goalkeeping department with a high-calibre challenger for Raya.
Garcia, who has made the most saves (135) in La Liga this season, has emerged as a top target. His standout performance against Real Madrid in February, where he was named man of the match during Espanyol’s shock victory, further raised his profile.
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According to Independent journalist Miguel Delaney, Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi is said to have been “wrapped up” since last summer, and they are close to signing Espanyol’s Joan Garcia as a challenger to David Raya.
Joan Garcia (Image credit: Getty Images)Espanyol boss Manolo Gonzalez even compared Garcia’s influence on the team to that of Lionel Messi, underscoring the goalkeeper’s significance and quality—traits Arsenal believe will strengthen their bench and provide vital cover.
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The Gunners had agreed personal terms with Garcia last August, and the shot-stopper remains keen on the move, confident in his ability to challenge Raya for the starting spot. With ambitions of breaking into the Spanish national team, Garcia’s potential switch to the Emirates represents a bold but calculated step forward in his career.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is working to finalise the deal swiftly and has also lined up fresh talks with the representatives of Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha. The Gunners are determined to fend off competition from Manchester United for the Brazilian international as they aim to reinforce their attack.
With multiple high-profile targets in sight, an exciting summer transfer window appears to be taking shape at Arsenal.
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