Arsenal suffer huge transfer blow as top summer target 'says yes' to rival move

Arsenal face disappointment in their latest bid to sign Joan Garcia, with edging closer to an agreement which will see the sought-after Espanyol goalkeeper join them.

Garcia, 24, was heavily linked with last summer when the Gunners were seeking a new keeper to compete with . After signing Pedro Neto on loan for the season, the Londoners had in a bid to bring in top competition for Raya.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, Garcia is not short of suitors following another stellar season in - and it's the newly minted Spanish champions who are now .

Various reports have now claimed that Garcia has all but agreed to join Barcelona, with talks over a transfer now at a 'very advanced' stage. Barca are even confident that the deal will be wrapped in the coming days.

claim that Barcelona are aware of interest in Garcia - who is also admired by among others - and intend to pay the player's €25million (£21m) release clause in order to bring one of their priority targets to the Nou Camp.

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Missing out on Garcia would represent a big blow for Arsenal, who had once again installed Garcia as their No.1 choice to compete with Raya for the 2025-26 campaign.

The Gunners are expected to be active in the summer transfer window after finishing second in the Premier League for a third successive season and a deal for the Real Sociedad playmaker, Martin Zubimendi, is already at an advanced stage.

A top striker is set to follow, with Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres in contention to lead the line for 's side next season.

Will Arsenal regret missing out on Garcia?

With another goalkeeper also on the club's summer wishlist, Arsenal may have to go back to the drawing board with Garcia now on the cusp of a move to the Nou Camp.

Arteta confirmed Arsenal planned to be busy this summer in a recent interview with , saying: "With the numbers that we started the season and [the numbers] to provide for next season, with the demands we're going to have and especially with the players that we have who are coming through long-term surgeries, it's very unrealistic [to deliver trophies].

"We know that, we have to address that and we're going to do everything we can to improve it. Especially because we are going to lose quite a lot of players. There are players out of contract, there are players who have come here on loan.

"So the squad becomes really thin on top of the injuries that we have. We know we have that duty, that necessity and we have players in the academy that can help. Great, but if not we know what we have to do."

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