Standout La Liga shot-stopper confirms Gunners interest ahead of summer

Joan Garcia has admitted that Arsenal showed serious interest in signing him last summer, with reports now suggesting the Gunners are leading the race to finally land the Espanyol goalkeeper.

The 23-year-old has emerged as one of the most highly-rated young shot-stoppers in Europe after a standout season in La Liga, but he has revealed that his rise to prominence was already attracting attention from major clubs before the current campaign even began.

Speaking recently, Garcia said, “There was lots of interest last summer, above all from Arsenal, but I stayed here and from then on I have been 100% focused on this campaign.”

Arsenal had reportedly considered activating his £26 million release clause last August when searching for a replacement for Aaron Ramsdale. However, a deal fell through after Ramsdale’s proposed move to Southampton was delayed and Espanyol refused to negotiate a lower price near the transfer deadline.

Garcia’s stock has only risen since then.

The Spaniard has impressed with his reflexes, distribution and penalty-saving ability, leading La Liga in total saves this season and helping to keep Espanyol away from relegation danger.

His consistent performances have attracted interest from Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid, but reports in Spain claim Arsenal are still best placed to secure his signature.

According to Sport, the Gunners are ‘front-runners’ and ‘best positioned’ to complete a transfer this summer, with personal terms between Garcia and Arsenal already agreed last year.

Espanyol are expected to cash in on Garcia due to their financial situation, and a deal may be easier to complete this time around. His release clause is set at £21 million early in the transfer window but will rise back to £26 million in the final fortnight of the market, giving Arsenal a clear incentive to move swiftly.

Garcia has continued to downplay speculation for now, stating that he remains fully committed to Espanyol’s season run-in. However, with Arsenal determined to strengthen their goalkeeping options and provide strong competition for David Raya, the interest in Garcia has not gone away.

Should a move materialise, Garcia would join a long list of Spanish goalkeepers to make the switch to the Premier League, with Arsenal confident that the patience they showed last summer will pay off this time.

The post Standout La Liga shot-stopper confirms Gunners interest ahead of summer first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.