Arsenal had a very successful summer transfer window.
The Gunners, led by their new sporting director Andrea Berta, signed eight new players. Fans were expecting big things, but even the most optimistic supporter wouldn’t have predicted such a summer.
Arsenal have unbelievable squad depth now thanks to their signings, and they are the favourites to win both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Even though Mikel Arteta’s side signed so many players in the window, there is one they missed.
Fabrizio Romano explains why Arsenal failed to sign Joan Garcia in the summer
Joan Garcia has been on Arsenal’s radar for a long time.
The Gunners wanted to sign him in the summer of 2024 to replace Aaron Ramsdale, and Edu Gaspar did try to get a deal done.
Arsenal tabled bids to sign Garcia, but Espanyol’s demands proved to be too much in the end.
Edu signed Neto on loan in the end, but the Gunners had hoped to get him to the Emirates before the start of this season.
Fabrizio Romano has now revealed what happened.
He said on the Here We Go podcast: “They attempted, one of the players, for example, they wanted to sign at Arsenal, he was a target already in 2024, and that was not possible to complete the deal in the final days of the window, and again this summer, at the beginning of the transfer window, is the Spanish goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
“Because Arsenal saw a value in this player. For €25 million release clause to sign from Espanyol, it was seen as a big opportunity.
He’s a goalkeeper worth, in the real market – that’s my opinion, not official – but maybe, I don’t know, €40-50-60 million euros, and to get him for €25 million was a big opportunity.
“Arsenal tried, but the player was in very advanced talks with Barcelona.”
What was Arsenal’s plan for Joan Garcia?
Arsenal have David Raya as their undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, and he has been brilliant for them.
The Gunners only needed a backup for the Spaniard in the summer, and Kepa Arrizabalaga was signed from Chelsea for just £5 million, which is an excellent deal.
The plan for Garcia, according to Romano, was to sign him and then immediately send him out on loan.
Barcelona’s plan was to make him an instant starter, so it’s no surprise that the goalkeeper chose the Catalans in the end.
Romano said: “Arsenal absolutely trusted David Raya. So to sign Joan Garcia was probably going to mean to send him on loan to another club, not to sign him to be the starting goalkeeper immediately.
“For Barcelona, obviously, it was different. Joan Garcia was a starter (and would remain) in the same city, in the same league, a Spanish player..
“And so for Barca, the deal was easier.”
from Arsenal Transfer News | Rumours, Deals & Targets | Arsenal Insider
Shamanth Jayaram