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Arsenal are seeking a goalkeeper in the likely event that Aaron Ramsdale departs the club this summer, and they may have found their ideal replacement.

Ramsdale is set to leave in search of first-team action after losing his Arsenal place to David Raya, and Mikel Arteta will need to replace him with another backup.

This could come in the form of a fairly inexperienced option, in 23-year-old Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia. The Spaniard recently helped his side achieve promotion back to La Liga, following a 2-0 victory over Santi Cazorla’s Real Oviedo in the La Liga 2 playoff final.

It has now been claimed that Garcia, who has been selected in Spain’s squad for the Olympics this summer, is set to join Arsenal.

Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia attracting interest from Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur

Spanish journalist Gerard Romero claimed on a La Grada Online stream that Garcia is to become an Arsenal player.

“Joan Garcia, Espanyol goalkeeper, future of Arsenal,” he stated when the goalkeeper’s place in the Olympic squad was announced.

Spanish outlet AS have also claimed that Tottenham Hotspur are in the running for the goalkeeper, who saw his release clause increase to around £21m after Espanyol were promoted back to the top flight.

Who is Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia?

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Until March, Garcia was Espanyol’s second choice option behind veteran Fernando Pacheco. However, he since took his place, and impressed between the sticks as his side reached the playoff places and secured their return to the top flight.

With 12 clean sheets and just 10 goals conceded in 21 games across all competitions this season, Garcia’s record is impressive, and he was described as “very talented” by legendary Espanyol goalkeeper Thomas N’Kono.

At 1.91m tall, Garcia would provide a lot of height to Arsenal’s goalkeeping roster, which David Raya perhaps lacks, but it remains to be seen whether his release clause of £21m will be met given his lack of experience at the top level.

It appears that Arsenal and Tottenham both see him as an ideal backup keeper for next season, but Arteta may have the upper hand in the race to sign him.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has delivered his verdict on one player’s decision to reject Arsenal.

The rivalry between Spurs and Arsenal is one of the fiercest in English football. The two sets of fans just don’t like each other and that was evident in the penultimate game of the 2023/24 season.

Tottenham fans were happy to lose to Manchester City just so that Arsenal wouldn’t win the Premier League title.

Such is the rivalry between the two clubs, and Postecoglou appeared to have made his allegiances clear with a comment on a player who was one of Arsenal’s key targets in this summer’s transfer window.

Benjamin Sesko was Arsenal’s top trasfer target before Euro 2024 began.

The Slovenia international was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates. Arsenal really wanted to sign Sesko, and a move even looked likely at one point.

However, after a lot of deliberation, Sesko decided to snub Arsenal and signed a new contract at RB Leipzig. That was a blow to Mikel Arteta and Edu, who were ready to trigger his £55 million release clause.

Arsenal have moved on now, but ahead of England’s game against Slovenia on ITV on Tuesday night, Postecoglou delivered his verdict on Sesko’s decision to stay at RB Leipzig. The Spurs boss thinks it was a ‘smart move’.

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“I think a big club would have looked at him this year, and it’s a smart move for him to stay there for another year,” Postecoglou said. “I think there’s still some development in him, but really good attributes for a striker position, for sure.”

Presenter Mark Pougatch then asked the Spurs boss: “Is that the Tottenham manager saying it’s a smart move not to go to Arsenal?”

“No comment, mate,” replied Postecoglou as Roy Keane, Ian Wright and Gary Neville around him burst out laughing.

Why Sesko rejected Arsenal and how Gunners reacted to the snub

Sesko would’ve been a great addition to this Arsenal squad.

The RB Leipzig star is quick, strong, good in the air and is a lethal finisher. He has all the attributes you would want from a striker, which is probably why Arteta and Edu were so keen to sign him.

However, Sesko rejected Arsenal, and one of the reasons was because the Gunners made it clear to him that he would only be a number two to Kai Havertz.

As for how Arteta and Edu took the rejection, it was claimed that ‘the signing of a striker is not believed to be the be-all and end-all’ for the decision-makers at Arsenal. They weren’t too disappointed.

Arsenal have moved on for now, but it will be interesting to see if Arteta and Edu will go back in for Sesko in the summer of 2025.

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