Arsenal have reportedly walked away from a long-standing pursuit of Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García, clearing the way for Barcelona to secure his signature on a five-year contract.
Barcelona will reportedly secure the signing of Joan García, agreeing to pay his £21.1m release clause after Arsenal ended their interest in the Espanyol goalkeeper earlier this week.
The Catalan club moved quickly to agree a five-year deal, apparently giving García guarantees over his status as first-choice goalkeeper (despite Marc-Andre ter Stegen still having three years left on his Barcelona deal) and their ability to register him with La Liga, despite the club’s well-documented financial issues.
Arsenal’s withdrawal brings an end to a pursuit that began last summer, when the club made a concerted effort to sign García before the player opted to remain with his current side. According to Carlos Monfort Arsenal decided that paying €25m (£21.1m) for a second-choice goalkeeper made little sense given Raya’s established place in the squad.
Compounding the matter were recent comments from García, who made it clear he would not accept a secondary role.
“All players want to play, I’ve just started. I’ve been playing for a year and a half and I want to continue playing,” he said. “There are many factors to consider, but for me, being so young and with the desire I have, it’s very important to keep playing.”
After meeting with his agents and family in a Barcelona restaurant on Tuesday night, García gave his approval for the transfer.
Barcelona will apparently pay the £21.1m release clause next week. The clause is set to rise to £25.3m in the final two weeks of the window, but would have dropped to around £12.7m had Espanyol been relegated. García helped prevent that outcome, playing 38 matches and keeping eight clean sheets as Espanyol avoided the drop on the final day of the season.
While Premier League clubs such as Manchester City, Newcastle, and Arsenal, as well as Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, and Inter, expressed serious interest, none were prepared to meet the clause outright. Barcelona were alone in offering full payment up front, which proved decisive.
Espanyol refused to negotiate below the buyout figure, as they did last summer, publicly insisting the valuation was non-negotiable regardless of destination.
García now faces a significant moment in his career, stepping across the city to challenge for silverware and a place in the Spanish national team.
For Arsenal, this is not a failed pursuit but a calculated step back. The club explored the possibility, made their judgement, and chose not to overpay for a player who would not start. In a summer that will demand targeted spending, it is a decision that speaks to the discipline Arsenal must maintain if they are to strengthen in priority positions.