Arsenal have submitted a bid worth €20m (£16.8m) for Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia in their bid to replace the outgoing Aaron Ramsdale.
The Gunners are set to let Ramsdale, who lost his starting place to David Raya last season, leave for Southampton after agreeing a £25m (€29.7m) deal. That leaves a space open on the bench for a new shot-stopper and 23-year-old Garcia has been lined up as Mikel Arteta’s preferred replacement.
However, Fabrizio Romano has revealed the €20m package has not yet been enough to convince the La Liga side into selling their goalie, who has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal and wants the transfer.
Espanyol are said to desire €30m (£25.2m) for Garcia, who made 18 La Liga appearances after breaking into their first-team last season. Despite their demands, manager Manolo Gonzalez has admitted the club might not be able to stop his departure if Arsenal trigger his release clause.
“I can’t do anything,” he told MARCA. “If they pay the clause, we can’t do anything. I’m very happy that he’s here and that he’s from the club.
“I don’t think he’ll leave, but I can’t know. It’s a luxury to have a player like him. I say it every week, I don’t think he’ll leave. If I eat these words, I’ll eat them, but it’s difficult for someone to pay a €30m clause. If someone wants him, they should pay the clause. I can’t say any more.”
Back in England, Southampton manager Russell Martin was coy on Ramsdale’s potential arrival at St Mary’s but admitted he was exited about the prospective deal.
Speaking after the Saints’ 5-3 Carabao Cup triumph over Cardiff City, he said: “I’ve been on the other side of the pitch so I don’t know. I think he’d be a fantastic addition, if we are able to do it.
“We’ll see because we had another goalkeeper in this week and it was well-documented and that didn’t happen.
“If it gets done, as and when it gets done, I’ll express my emotion about it to you then. But until then, I can’t really do very much.”
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