Top Arsenal target SNUBS Barcelona: Keen on Gunners after 2024 heartbreak

Tom Weber

Updated: 26 May 2025 15:13 BST
4 min read

Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia has rejected city rivals Barcelona in favour of a move to the Premier League, according to a report.

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The Spaniard is once again a sought-after commodity in the market. Already last summer, Garcia was being chased by several clubs, chief among them Arsenal.

At the time, the Gunners were not willing to pay his €25 million release clause and made a lower offer, which Espanyol rejected. According to the club's sporting director Fran Garagarza, he had no choice but to rebuff the approach as it came too late in the window. Garcia was devastated.

Current ETV

Joan García

Espanyol

Joan García

Espanyol

ETV Range

€22M - €26.8M

“It was with La Liga just underway and three days away from the deadline," Garagarza told Cadena SER. "The look on his face during that conversation almost made me feel sorry for him; I saw him as if he were my son. He was told the time would come, and it will."

Indeed, the time for his big move appears to be now, with a host of clubs vying for his signature, including Arsenal and Espanyol's local rivals Barcelona.

Garcia rejects Barcelona

Earlier on Monday, Fabrizio Romano confirmed reports from Spain that Barcelona had made contact with the 24-year-old shot-stopper to outline their project and their plans for him.

Barcelona, it was claimed, were willing to trigger his release clause and then initially loan him out. However, Romano made sure to emphasise that the player would have the final say and that it was not set in stone that he would be willing to cross the city divide.

According to Romano's colleague Matteo Moretto, Garcia has now informed Barcelona that he will not join them. Instead, he wants to move to the Premier League in what is undoubtedly a big boost to Arsenal, who are once again interested in the goalkeeper.

However, Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen are also thought to hold a concrete interest in Garcia. The former are bracing for the exit of Emiliano Martinez, while the latter want a long-term successor for veteran star Lukas Hradecky.

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