Aston Villa have received a boost in their pursuit of a summer target, with it being revealed he is now planning to ignore Barcelona in favour of a move to the Premier League, according to a report.
Villa file complaint after referee blunder
With Newcastle United suffering a surprise 1-0 defeat at home to Everton, a point against Manchester United would've been enough for Villa to secure Champions League qualification for the second season on the spin, but they ultimately fell to a 2-0 loss.
Morgan Rogers thought he had opened the scoring for the Villans, but referee Thomas Bramall blew the whistle for an alleged foul on Altay Bayindir, with VAR unable to intervene as play was stopped before the ball hit the net.
As such, an official complaint has been made to the PGMOL, but Unai Emery's side will ultimately have to settle for Europa League football next season, rather than the much more prestigious and lucrative Champions League.
Villa's omission from Europe's elite competition could also impact the business they are able to do this summer, but a new update has suggested they could still be well-positioned to sign a goalkeeper.
According to a report from Spain, Espanyol's Joan Garcia is on Aston Villa's radar for a summer transfer swoop, and the 24-year-old is now planning to turn down a move to Barcelona, amid concerns he would not be the first-choice option.
As such, a move to the Premier League is believed to appeal to Garcia, with Villa, Newcastle United and Arsenal all waiting in the wings, and Espanyol are aware it will be difficult to keep hold of the goalkeeper if they receive a big offer from England.
joan garcia
A deal could be relatively cheap, however, with the rumoured asking price of £25m believed to be appealing to all the interested parties.
Garcia could be "elite" Martinez heir
Unfortunately, it appears as though Emiliano Martinez's time at Villa Park could be over, with the Argentine appearing to say a tearful farewell after his side's final home game of the campaign.
As such, Emery will be tasked with bringing in a replacement this summer, and the Espanyol shot-stopper could be a fantastic option, having been lauded as "elite" by scout Ben Mattinson during the 2024-25 campaign.
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Not only that, but the 24-year-old ranks in the 86th percentile for his save percentage, and the 91st percentile for his crosses stopped percentage per 90 over the past year, so it is promising news that he could reject Barcelona in favour of a Premier League move.