Arsenal’s loyalty to David Raya may have just cost them one of Spain’s brightest young goalkeepers, Joan Garcia.
The Gunners were desperate to land the Espanyol shot-stopper, with the 23-year-old high on their radar since 2024. Back then, Arsenal tried to swoop but refused to meet Espanyol’s hefty €30 million release clause. Talks collapsed, and the club settled for Neto on loan.
Fast forward to this summer, Arsenal came knocking again, ready this time to pay the full fee. But Barcelona beat them to it. And now, Fabrizio Romano has revealed exactly why.
“Arsenal absolutely trusted David Raya,” Romano explained. “To sign Joan Garcia was probably going to mean sending him on loan to another club, not signing him to be the starting goalkeeper immediately.”
In short, Raya was untouchable. Garcia knew it. And Barcelona offered him what Arsenal couldn’t: a guaranteed starting spot.
“For Barcelona, obviously, it was different,” Romano added. “Joan Garcia was a starter and would remain in the same city, in the same league, a Spanish player… And so, for Barça, the deal was easier.”
With the World Cup around the corner, Garcia wanted minutes, not the bench. Staying in Spain, playing week in and week out for one of the biggest clubs in the world, made perfect sense.
Arsenal instead brought in Kepa Arrizabalaga as backup, while Raya has continued to shine, conceding just three goals this season.
The Gunners might have missed out on Garcia, but their faith in Raya is paying off. Still, fans can’t help but wonder, did Arsenal’s loyalty cost them Spain’s next big thing between the sticks?
