Arsenal is confronted this summer with competition from Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen for Espanyol -goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
The Gunners are expected to restore their interest in the 23-year-old at the end of the season after they saw two bids in August by the La Liga club rejected after the sale of Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton.
At the time, both offers were short at Garcia's release clause of £ 24.75 million (€ 30 million) and given that Espanyol had little time to replace their number 1 – they remained that a deal would only be closed if that figure was met.
Arsenal did not want to roll and, instead, landed Bournemouth veteran Neto, who knew Edu from his time who worked as the general coordinator of Brazil, on a season loan on Transfer Deadline Day.
But Neto is expected to return to the south coast this summer and the Gunners are still very enthusiastic about Garcia – a signature recommended by goalkeeper coach Inaki Cana.
However, Barca and Leverkusen have also contacted Garcia's representatives Niagara Sports Company to show interest for the player.
It is expected that cash will be a problem for Barca, despite their recent financial struggle, but to seduce Garcia in the move – because of the rivalry of Espanyol with their Catalan counterparts – will require some work.
In the meantime, Leverkusen are open to strengthening their options between the sticks, because the 35-year-old captain Lukas Hradecky will only have one year at the end of the campaign.
In addition, former Manchester United Shot-Stopper Matej Kovar, who is currently back-up of Hradecky, open to leaving the Bundesliga champions while he noilates to be a number 1 elsewhere.
Sources in the neighborhood of Garcia are fully confident that he has the quality to be the first choice where he also ends up and tells Spiegelvoetbal: “He will be no. 1 in each team within 30 days.”
Arsenal View the Spain U21 International as a perfect cover and competition for David Raya, although it is clear that the ex-Brentford man is currently the undisputed no. 1 of Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners have also been encouraged that they could close a deal for Garcia at a similar price such as the offers that were rejected last summer.
Sports director of Espanyol, Fran Garagarz, recently told Marca that the club is ready to mitigate their transfer attitude at the end of the season when there will be more time to secure a suitable replacement.
Garagarz said: “All clubs in Spain to sell live. We much more. What is a good sale? There is no reason to be afraid. But then you have to invest. You have to know who will occupy the position of the seller.
“In the last phases of the market we have to ask the clause, but if there is a good offer earlier, we will evaluate it. But the most important thing is to know what we would do with that money. We have to work on an heir.”
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