Arsenal are set to face a setback in their latest attempt to sign Joan Garcia, with Barcelona reportedly nearing an agreement that will see the highly-rated Espanyol goalkeeper join them.
Garcia, 24, was strongly linked with Arsenal last summer when the Gunners were on the hunt for a new keeper to challenge David Raya. After securing Raya on loan for the season, the London club had reignited their interest in Garcia ahead of the summer transfer window, aiming to bring in top competition for their goalkeeper.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, Garcia is not lacking in admirers following another impressive season in La Liga - and it's the newly crowned Spanish champions who are now set to secure the goalkeeper's signature.
Various reports have now suggested that Garcia has all but agreed to join Barcelona, with negotiations over a transfer now at a 'very advanced' stage. Barca are even confident that the deal will be finalised in the coming days.
Fichajes, via the Mirror, reports that Barcelona are aware of Premier League interest in Garcia - who is also admired by Newcastle among others - and plan to pay the player's €25million (£21m) release clause in order to bring one of their priority targets to the Nou Camp, .
Missing out on Garcia would be a significant blow for Arsenal, who had once again identified Garcia as their No. 1 choice to compete with Raya for the 2025-26 campaign.
Arsenal are gearing up for a busy summer transfer window following their impressive second-place finish in the Premier League, with talks for Real Sociedad's maestro Martin Zubimendi nearing completion.
The Gunners are also on the hunt for a top striker, with Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres emerging as potential candidates to spearhead Mikel Arteta's attack in the upcoming season.
With ambitions to bolster their goalkeeping options too, Arsenal might need to revisit their strategy as target Garcia edges closer to a switch to the Nou Camp.
Mikel Arteta, in a candid Sky Sports interview, acknowledged the necessity for a dynamic transfer period, stating: "With the numbers that we started the season and [the numbers] to provide for next season, with the demands we're going to have and especially with the players that we have who are coming through long-term surgeries, it's very unrealistic [to deliver trophies].
"We know that, we have to address that and we're going to do everything we can to improve it. Especially because we are going to lose quite a lot of players. There are players out of contract, there are players who have come here on loan.
"So the squad becomes really thin on top of the injuries that we have. We know we have that duty, that necessity and we have players in the academy that can help. Great, but if not we know what we have to do."
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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