Arsenal have finalized a deal to transfer goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton for a total of £25 million, including add-ons, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.
Ramsdale, who has been part of the England squad, found himself as a backup to David Raya last season, resulting in just 11 appearances across all competitions for Arsenal. It was evident that Ramsdale was seeking more regular playing time, which led to Southampton securing him on a permanent transfer.
As Ramsdale heads to Southampton, Arsenal is intensifying their efforts to sign Espanyol’s Joan Garcia. Ramsdale’s departure leaves Arsenal with only Raya as their primary goalkeeper, making it essential for them to acquire a replacement before the transfer deadline.
Arsenal have reached a preliminary agreement with Garcia regarding personal terms, but finalizing the transfer will involve negotiations with Espanyol. Espanyol recently increased Garcia’s release clause from £21 million to £25 million, but Arsenal is hopeful of negotiating the fee down to around £10-15 million.
Garcia, a 23-year-old who played a crucial role in Spain’s Olympic gold medal win, demonstrated his prowess by keeping eight clean sheets in the final 14 games of last season, helping Espanyol gain promotion to La Liga. His distribution skills are notable, with a 70% pass completion rate and nearly five successful long balls per game this season.
Garcia’s potential and strong performances make him a promising candidate for Arsenal’s goalkeeping needs, potentially establishing himself as a future regular starter.
