The €25m clause that cost Arsenal: Why one European target went to a rival
Arsenal have been dealt a significant blow in their search for a new goalkeeper after Joan Garcia was officially unveiled as a Barcelona player.
The 24-year-old joins the La Liga champions from Espanyol on a six-year deal that runs until 2031, after the Catalan giants activated his €25 million (£21.3 million) release clause.
Garcia was on Arsenal’s radar for over a year and had been considered a long-term option between the sticks due to his age, ball-playing ability and shot-stopping pedigree.
The Gunners made a concerted effort to land the Spaniard in the summer of 2024 but walked away from talks when it became clear Espanyol would not accept anything below the release clause.
Instead, Arsenal secured a short-term loan for Bournemouth’s Neto, who has since returned to his parent club.
With Neto gone and David Raya still the club’s number one, Arsenal were hoping to re-enter the market for Garcia this summer. But their hesitation has now cost them.
Barcelona moved decisively, making the goalkeeper one of their top transfer priorities. Sporting director Deco saw Garcia as the ideal long-term replacement for Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and the club wasted little time securing his signature.
Garcia himself acknowledged the difficulty of leaving Espanyol in an emotional farewell on Instagram but insisted the decision was best for his career, family and club.
He arrives at Camp Nou on the back of a standout season for a struggling Espanyol side, where he played every league game, kept eight clean sheets and made more saves than any other La Liga goalkeeper.
The deal also raises questions about the future of ter Stegen, who is under contract until 2028 but may now be pushed towards the exit amid Barca’s efforts to cut their wage bill and refresh the squad.
For Arsenal, Garcia’s move is a missed opportunity.
With no obvious in-house candidate to deputise for Raya, sporting director Andrea Berta and manager Mikel Arteta must now turn to other options.
Arsenal had viewed Garcia as a long-term solution — someone with stylistic similarities to Raya and significant room for growth.
His decision to remain in Spain and join Barcelona means the Gunners must rethink their plans in a summer that is already shaping up to be a busy one across multiple positions.
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