The reason why Arsenal missed out on top target comes to light
One of the club’s first signings of the window was the acquisition of Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea. Before that, however, Arsenal had a completely different name in mind to share the goalkeeping responsibilities with David Raya. Joan Garcia moved from Espanyol to Barcelona at the beginning of the summer after Arsenal had tracked the Spaniard […] The post The reason why Arsenal missed out on top target comes to light appeared first on Just Arsenal News.
RR aka Rishi-Raj
One of the club’s first signings of the window was the acquisition of Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea. Before that, however, Arsenal had a completely different name in mind to share the goalkeeping responsibilities with David Raya. Joan Garcia moved from Espanyol to Barcelona at the beginning of the summer after Arsenal had tracked the Spaniard for almost a year. Even before the loan signing of Neto was finalised in 2024, the Gunners were keen admirers of the then 23-year-old shot stopper. Despite their heavy interest dating back to last year, Arsenal failed to land the player this summer and now the reason has come to light.
Why Andrea Berta turned Arsenal away from Garcia
According to The Athletic, Andrea Berta, who arrived in March, was not keen on the Spaniard, mainly due to the player’s hefty release clause. The Italian deemed his £21 million buyout clause too expensive and when Barcelona completed his signing earlier in the window, other targets were swiftly considered. Arsenal turned to Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga instead, paying £5 million for the experienced goalkeeper. Garcia has since established himself as Barcelona’s first choice, making three appearances so far this season. Arsenal will be satisfied with their deal nonetheless, and the acquisition of Arrizabalaga might even prove to be the better option considering the price and the availability of David Raya. Despite featuring in pre-season, the former Chelsea man has yet to make his competitive debut for the club, something that is expected to change once the other competitions begin.
Arsenal’s summer investment
Despite spending very little on the goalkeeping department, Andrea Berta and the recruitment team oversaw a major summer spending spree. Just under €300 million was committed on eight new players, a clear signal of intent ahead of a gruelling campaign.
No.1 at Barcelona v No.2 at Arsenal – I think Garcia made the right choice don’t you?
Benjamin Kenneth
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