Barcelona journalist claims goalkeeper is set for Arsenal | OneFootball

Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia will soon be an Arsenal player, according to a Barcelona journalist.

Joan Garcia playing for Espanyol (Photo via Garcia on Instagram)

Speaking on a Jijantes FC stream, journalist Gerard Romero claimed that Joan Garcia of Espanyol will soon be an Arsenal player.

La Grada report that the goalkeeper has various options on the table for him, with Real Madrid following his progress and multiple English teams interested. But Romero is evidently hinting that Arsenal will win the race.

“I have always felt the love of the fans,” Garcia said recently. “Very happy that people are with me.

“And for that part (transfers), don’t worry, I’m very good here and above all I would ask you to be calm and encourage us.”

BARCELONA, SPAIN: Joan Garcia (top right) among RCD Espanyol players wearing black t-shirts in protest against referees prior to the LaLiga Santander match between RCD Espanyol and UD Almeria at RCDE Stadium on June 04, 2023. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Romero was speaking about Garcia in response to the news that the goalkeeper has been called up for the Spanish Olympic team, announced on Wednesday.

Garcia is one of three goalkeepers in the squad, after impressing with Espanyol in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

It took a while for the goalkeeper to break into the team, only making his first league start on March 2nd. But he then locked down his starting spot, maintaining an 82.5% save percentage and comfortably outperforming his post-shot expected goals against.

Garcia also collected a very high number of crosses (2.14 per 90), at a 16.1% cross prevention rate even higher than David Raya’s 13.0%. Raya himself is already in the top 1% of all goalkeepers in that statistic.

Standing at 6’3″, the goalkeeper doesn’t lack for height, which certainly helps with claiming all those crosses.

There’s also a connection between Garcia and Arsenal goalkeeper coach Inaki Cana, with eagle-eyed fans spotting that the coach follows Garcia on social media.

Inaki Cana follows Joan Garcia on Instagram

We’ll have to wait and see if the transfer links make it into the English media, but we may not see the saga reach a speedy conclusion with Garcia heading to the Olympic Games in July.

The Gunners certainly seem to want a goalkeeper this summer, with Aaron Ramsdale’s future uncertain.