Manchester United have established contact with La Liga outfit Espanyol regarding a potential move for their in-form goalkeeper Joan Garcia, according to Spanish outlet Cope as relayed by United In Focus.
Garcia’s heroics between the posts have been a key part of the Catalan club’s impressive stint since gaining promotion to the top-flight. He has been an indispensable part of Manolo González’s side, missing out on just one of the 32 La Liga games.
Citing Cope, United In Focus reports that the Red Devils made contact on Sunday to discuss a move to sign the 23-year-old and have made “an offer” to get the deal done.
The club are accelerating efforts to find a possible replacement for Andre Onana following his inconsistent displays for the club this season, according to the report.
However, they face stern competition in the race for the 6ft 3in shot-stopper, as the Spanish outlet claims that Premier League rivals Arsenal and La Liga defending champions Real Madrid also hold an interest in the Spain U21 star.
Espanyol are well aware of the persistent interest in Garcia and would prefer that the Spanish goalkeeper remain on loan at the RCDE Stadium for one more season, similar to Liverpool’s deal with Valencia for Giorgi Mamardashvili.
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Garcia to United
The report adds that the Spaniard has a €25m (£21m) release clause, which could rise to €30m (£25m) in the summer should he receive a senior national team call-up—making it a deal United can’t afford to overlook.
With the growing emphasis on goalkeepers as the first point of attack, it’s easy to overlook their primary responsibility: keeping the ball out of the net.
García is an exceptional goalkeeper, renowned for his, composure, and sharp reflexes. His skill in maintaining defensive organisation under pressure is evident through his seven clean sheets, which is the fifth-highest in La Liga this season.
Additionally, his 116 saves over 2,790 minutes is the highest among goalkeepers in Spain’s top division, making it no surprise that United have now entered the competition to sign him.
Although Onana has had moments of brilliance, his glaring mistakes have broadly defined the season. At a reported £25m, securing a goalkeeper with Garcia’s abilities would be a bargain. However, the club must first resolve Onana’s situation before moving for a new shot-stopper.
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