Arsenal missed out on the player compared to Messi at Barcelona.

Arsenal had a booming summer 2025 transfer window with 8 new signings but failed to secure goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who chose Barcelona as his new club.

Arsenal experienced a very active summer 2025 transfer window with 8 quality signings under new sporting director Andrea Berta. However, behind these successful deals, there was a setback: failing to acquire goalkeeper Joan Garcia, a player considered as important as Messi during his time at Barcelona.

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Garcia had long been on Arsenal's radar. Throughout the summer, sporting director Edu Gaspar negotiated with Espanyol, even making official offers. However, the price demanded by the Catalan club was considered too high, preventing the deal from being completed.

Romano revealed on the Here We Go podcast that Arsenal saw a great opportunity with Garcia because his release clause was only 25 million Euros. The renowned journalist assessed that Garcia’s true market value could be between 40-60 million Euros, making acquiring him at such a low fee a “bargain.”

However, all efforts from the Emirates side quickly stalled as the young goalkeeper entered advanced negotiations with Barcelona.

Arsenal’s plan for Garcia also influenced the player’s choice. Despite valuing his talent, Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal leadership still trusted David Raya as the first-choice keeper. If they signed Garcia, they intended to immediately loan him out to gain more experience.

In contrast, Barcelona offered a more attractive promise: Garcia would become the starting goalkeeper at Camp Nou, playing in La Liga and the Champions League, while remaining in a familiar city.

Garcia’s influence is so significant that Espanyol coach Manolo Gonzalez made a surprising comparison. After a 1-0 win over Getafe on April 18, where Garcia kept a clean sheet, he stated: “We have a goalkeeper who truly makes a difference. It’s like when Barca had Messi.. He will become a model goalkeeper worldwide. I’m very happy for him, both professionally and personally.”

Given this situation, Garcia’s choice leaned heavily towards Barcelona. For the young Spanish player, the chance to be the number one goalkeeper at one of the greatest clubs in the world was clearly much more appealing than the prospect of going out on loan after signing with Arsenal.

In the end, Arsenal closed the transfer window by loaning Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea for just 5 million Pounds. This was seen as a temporary but reasonable solution given Raya’s stable form. However, missing out on Garcia definitely left regrets for the leadership, as they saw him as a long-term investment with great potential.

For Arsenal, this failure also reflects the harshness of the transfer market. Meanwhile, Barcelona demonstrated decisiveness and special appeal to win the race for Joan Garcia’s signature, who promises to become one of the most notable goalkeepers in Europe in the coming years.