Arsenal facing stiff competition from Barcelona for LaLiga star Arteta chased last summer

Arsenal are reportedly facing transfer competition from LaLiga giants Barcelona for the signing of highly-rated Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia this summer.

The Gunners were heavily linked with a move for Garcia last summer and had a €20million (£16.5m / $21m) offer rejected in the closing stages of the window as they looked for a backup for No.1 David Raya.

Arsenal ended up bringing in veteran stopper Neto on a season-long loan from Bournemouth but have kept tabs on Garcia’s development at Espanyol as they prepare a new offer at the end of the current campaign.

While Espanyol held firm on their valuation of the 23-year-old keeper last time around, they are somewhat resigned to losing one of their key players this time given that Garcia has a €25m (£20.7m) release clause in his existing contract.

Indeed, Garcia recently hinted at his potential departure from the club in the summer and said he will try, although he will try and make his exit happen in the ‘best way’ for the Spanish side.

“At the moment I’m not thinking about that [future], but you never know. If it happens, let it happen in the best way,” he told Estadio Deportivo.

“If in the end it turns out that I have to leave, how can I not say goodbye well? Espanyol are the club that has given me everything.

“If I go through the back door, it wouldn’t go well.”

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Barcelona also plotting Garcia swoop

Arsenal, however, are not expected to have a free run at Garcia’s signature, with reports in Spain suggesting that Catalan giants Barcelona are also plotting a move for the player.

Barca are reportedly looking to install a new first-choice keeper at Camp Nou with the Marc-Andre ter Stegen still out on the sidelines with a serious knee injury.

Inaki Pena has filled the 32-year-old German’s boots for the majority of the season but has been out the side for the past month with another veteran stopper, Wojciech Szczesny, handed the starting berth.

The Pole, 34, had retired after leaving Juventus in the summer but reversed his decision to sign a short-term deal with Barcelona following Ter Stegen’s injury.

As for Garcia, the Espanyol star has conceded 36 goals in 25 games in competitions this season but has only kept four clean sheets in that time.

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