Arsenal‘s move for Espanyol goalkeeper, Joan Garcia, is still on after he has been linked with the North London club in the summer. The Gunners seem to have reached an agreement with the 23-year-old keeper. Garcia returned to Espanyol’s goal on Monday night against Real Valladolid after winning a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Garcia and the Gunners have had a deal ready for a while, but Arsenal haven’t started talks with Espanyol yet.
Goalkeeper Signing Depends on Ramsdale Exit
The transfer depends on the departure of Aaron Ramsdale from the club, with Garcia expected to serve as backup to David Raya.
David Raya has made himself the lead goalkeeper at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta, taking Ramsdale’s spot last season after coming on loan from Brentford. Raya has now signed a permanent deal and his position looks secure, which means Ramsdale might need to find a new club to be a starter again.
Ajax tried to sign Ramsdale on a loan deal, though they are considering other options. A few other Premier League teams, including Southampton and Newcastle, have also shown interest in Ramsdale.
Arsenal want to sell the goalkeeper outright and plan to keep him unless they receive a suitable bid. Wolves have asked about Ramsdale, and many expect him to leave within the last 10 days of the transfer window. The Molineux team has suggested an initial loan offer with an option to buy when the season ends. This gutsy step might turn out to be a lot wiser than the one Ajax took.
Garcia, 23, has played for Espanyol his entire career and might be ready to take the next step by joining last season’s Premier League runners-up. He has played in 29 games for the Spanish club overall, with three appearances in La Liga. If Ramsdale were to leave, Arsenal might look to buy another promising goalkeeper in Garcia.
Garcia would be the newest addition in what has been a good summer so far for Arsenal, who have made Riccardo Calafiori and Raya permanent signings. As for the players who’re leaving, Emile Smith Rowe is the only senior player who has departed for good moving to Fulham for £27million.
Arsenal May Have to Shell Out More If They Wait
Espanyol boss, Manolo Gonzalez, spoke to reporters before the Valladolid game stating Garcia would not leave unless his exact buyout fee is paid. He also mentions the club wants to keep the goalkeeper around for a long time.
Garcia’s buyout fee was initially set at €25m, but Relevo has now disclosed that after mid-August, his price tag went up by €5m to €30m. More news from Spain hints that this deal might not be so simple to finalise. Anna Cordovilla of Mundo Deportivo claims Espanyol will allow Garcia to leave only if a club pays his €30m (£25.6m) release amount.
Earlier reports hinted that Arsenal wanted to get Garcia for about €15m (£12.9m) or less. The player seems interested in the move, but in a post-game talk on Monday, he told the cameras he was calm and not paying heed to the transfer talks for now. While they cannot make an offer for Ramsdale right now, it’s a costly wait for Arsenal if they end up paying his full release amount. Garcia looks set to stay as David Raya’s stand-in, and at 28, he will not be looking to leave anytime soon. Garcia’s talent is obvious, but it is a big sum to spend on a backup goalie.
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