Arsenal face Barcelona and Leverkusen competition for summer transfer target

Arsenal are facing competition from Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen for Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia this summer.

The Gunners are expected to reignite their interest in the 23-year-old at the end of the season after they saw two bids rebuffed by the La Liga club in August following the sale of Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton.

At the time, both offers fell short of Garcia's £24.75million (€30m) release clause and given Espanyol had little time to replace their No.1 - they continued to insist a deal would only be struck if that figure was met.

Arsenal did not want to rollover and instead landed Bournemouth veteran Neto, who Edu knew from his time working as Brazil's general coordinator, on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day.

But Neto is expected to return to the South Coast this summer and the Gunners are still very much keen on Garcia - a signing recommended by goalkeeper coach Inaki Cana.

However, Barca and Leverkusen have also made contact with Garcia's representatives Niagara Sports Company to express an interest in the player.

Cash is not expected to be an issue for Barca despite their recent financial struggles but enticing Garcia into the move - because of Espanyol's rivalry with their Catalonian counterparts - will require some work.

Meanwhile, Leverkusen are open to strengthening their options between the sticks as 35-year-old captain Lukas Hradecky will only have one year left on his current contract at the end of the campaign.

Furthermore, former Manchester United shot-stopper Matej Kovar, who is currently backup to Hradecky, is open to leaving the Bundesliga champions as he aspirations to be a No.1 elsewhere.

Sources close to Garcia have full confidence he has the quality to be first-choice wherever he ends up, telling Mirror Football : "He will be No.1 in any team within 30 days."

Arsenal view the Spain U21 international as perfect cover and competition for David Raya, though it's clear the ex-Brentford man is Mikel Arteta's undisputed No.1 at this moment in time.

The Gunners have also been handed encouragement they could secure a deal for Garcia at a similar price to the offers that were rejected last summer.

Espanyol sporting director Fran Garagarz recently told Marca that the club are ready to soften their transfer stance at the end of the season when there will be more time to secure a suitable replacement.

Garagarz said: "All clubs in Spain live by selling. We much more. What is a good sale? There is no reason to be afraid. But then you have to invest. You have to know who will occupy the position of the seller.

"In the final stages of the market we have to ask for the clause, but if a good offer comes before that we will evaluate it. But the important thing is to know what we would do with that money. We have to work on an heir."