New Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta appears less keen on the signing of Espanyol’s Joan Garcia this summer, according to a report.
Ryan Taylor reports for the Mirror that despite Arsenal long viewing Espanyol’s Joan Garcia as the ideal backup for David Raya, new sporting director Andrea Berta seems less keen on the idea.
Taylor reports that sources close to Garcia have indicated there hasn’t been any contact from the new sporting director since joining, despite Berta taking a proactive approach with various other potential signings.
The report adds that up to 10 clubs have approached Garcia’s representatives and he’ll be allowed to leave for less than his release clause this summer.
The player remains open to joining Arsenal and keen to compete with Raya for the number-one spot if he gets the chance.
It would be strange for Arsenal to back out of this deal, given the story of their pursuit so far.
The Gunners made a significant €25m bid for Garcia last summer, which was rejected, and they’ve since gone on to watch him have an outstanding campaign as one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga.
Arsenal clearly need a goalkeeper this summer, with Neto returning to Bournemouth after his loan, and Garcia appears an excellent investment for the future. The 23-year-old is ready to compete now, and his age could make him a strong option for years to come.
But Berta had no involvement in Arsenal’s previous attempts to sign Garcia, and the implication is that he might prefer to look elsewhere.