Arsenal agree deal for first signing of the summer: report

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Arsenal are on the cusp of announcing their first move of the summer, with Mikel Arteta looking to strengthen

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during a training session at Sobha Realty Training Centre on April 26, 2024 in London Colney, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal have agreed their first transfer of the summer and could announce it very soon.

That's according to reports that say the Gunners have begun their business after a quiet start to the window. Mikel Arteta is yet to confirm a new buy but it is heavily expected that David Raya will join permanently, following his appearance in press shots for the new Arsenal home shirt. 

Now, he could be joined by a fellow Spaniard. 

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya celebrates after Bukayo Saka scored their sides first goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2023 in London, England.

David Raya is expected to join imminently (Image credit: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

The Express are citing unnamed reports in Spain that Joan Garcia of Espanyol is set to arrive at the Emirates Stadium imminently.

Garcia is of a similar mould to Raya in that he is an excellent cross claimer and strong with the ball at his feet, providing Arteta with two stylistically similar options between the sticks.

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Backup keeper Aaron Ramsdale – who Raya displaced – is expected to depart, in search of first-team football. The England international joined in 2021 and almost immediately took the No.1 jersey from Bernd Leno but fell behind Raya in the pecking order when Arsenal were presented with the golden opportunity to land the Spaniard, after trying to sign him in 2020.

In FourFourTwo's view, this is a sensible signing for the north Londoners, with Garcia a reliable enough No.2. This isn't a complicated transfer for Arteta and should go through without too much of a hitch.

Joan Garcia of RCD Espanyol looks on during the LaLiga Hypermotion match between CD Leganes and RCD Espanyol at Estadio Municipal de Butarque on April 12, 2024 in Leganes, Spain.

Joan Garcia is Arsenal-bound (Image credit: Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Arteta and Co. will be hoping that the prospective sale of Ramsdale brings in extra money to spend this summer. 

Garcia is valued at €800k by Transfermarkt. 

More Arsenal stories 

Arsenal are pushing hard to sign Ebere Eze from Crystal Palace, Joshua Kimmich has been linked and Mikel Merino is on the radar. Two Arsenal academy graduates are said to be up for sale, as well. 

Meanwhile Leandro Trossard's father has blasted Belgium boss, Domenico Tedesco, and Granit Xhaka is set for an Emirates return with Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

Mark White
Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.