Arsenal’s planned move for Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia is a lot less certain at this stage, according to a report.
VITORIA-GASTEIZ, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Joan Garcia of RCD Espanyol warms up prior to the LaLiga match between Deportivo Alaves and RCD Espanyol de Barcelona at Estadio de Mendizorroza on February 22, 2025 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images
Sam Dean reports for The Telegraph that a few months ago, sources in Spain claimed Joan Garcia’s move to Arsenal was regarded by many as a near certainty.
Yet the picture is now less clear, with Garcia catching the eye of other teams and questions over whether he’d be willing to play a backup role to David Raya.
On top of that, Dean suggests Arsenal may not be willing to invest £20m in another goalkeeper, with the other transfer business they need to do.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 01: Joan Garcia of RCD Espanyol celebrates victory following the LaLiga match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at RCDE Stadium on February 01, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Any interested club would be wise to wait at least a few more days before making any kind of offer for Garcia. After losing five games in a row, Espanyol have found themselves back in the relegation fight with one match remaining.
Notably, Espanyol recently lost to CD Leganes, giving their relegation rivals the head-to-head advantage if they finish level on points. So if Leganes beat 20th-place Real Valladolid on the final day, Espanyol must win (not just draw) to avoid the drop.
Should they go down, Garcia’s release clause would reportedly drop to around £13m, making him much more affordable.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 14: Joan Garcia of RCD Espanyol reacts during the LaLiga match between RCD Espanyol de Barcelona and CA Osasuna at RCDE Stadium on December 14, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Garcia has made 37 appearances for Espanyol this season. Though his seven clean sheets might not be the most eye-catching, he consistently ranks among the top goalkeepers for save percentage, saves per 90, and goals prevented.
It’s just difficult to rack up clean sheets when you’re playing for a team conceding as many chances as Espanyol do.
Arsenal won’t find many better goalkeepers on the market this summer, it’s just a question of whether they can spare the money. If Espanyol go down, perhaps the equation swings back in favour of the move.
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