Barcelona eye Arsenal star to replace 32yo | OneFootball

Spanish La Liga club Barcelona have listed Arsenal‘s David Raya as a potential target to replace Marc-André ter Stegen, who is sidelined for the rest of the season after sustaining a serious injury in September.

The Catalan club have embarked on a search for a world-class replacement, with a long-term view as ter Stegen approaches his 33rd birthday in April.

VILLARREAL, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 22: Marc-Andre ter Stegen of FC Barcelona is stretchered off during the LaLiga match between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio de la Ceramica on September 22, 2024 in Villarreal, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Barcelona’s shortlist includes FC Porto‘s Diogo Costa and Espanyol‘s Joan Garcia, alongside Raya.

According to reports from El Nacional, all three are being considered to fill the gap left by ter Stegen, whose absence has left Barcelona in a precarious situation as they seek to shore up their goalkeeping options.

Raya, born in Barcelona, has excelled since joining Arsenal from Brentford. His contributions have helped Arsenal boast the Premier League‘s best defensive record in the 2023/24 season, earning him the Premier League Goalkeeper of the Year accolade.

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 15: David Raya of Arsenal makes a sav during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Arsenal FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Under contract until 2028, Raya has established himself as a key figure for Arsenal, making the prospect of any transfer challenging for Barcelona, particularly given their current financial constraints.

Financial obstacles remain a key barrier for the Catalans, as they attempt to navigate their widely publicised monetary issues. Bringing in a goalkeeper of Raya’s calibre would demand a significant outlay, and it remains to be seen whether Barcelona can manoeuvre their finances to make such a deal feasible.

Raya’s price tag and his current importance to Arsenal make this a highly complex and unlikely move.

MURCIA, SPAIN: David Raya of Spain looks on during the warm up prior to the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A4 match between Spain and Denmark at Nueva Condomina on October 12, 2024. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)

Barcelona are also monitoring Joan Garcia from Espanyol. Garcia, a former Spain Under-21 international, has been on Arsenal’s radar as well, following the departure of Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton.

Arsenal had made several bids for Garcia in the summer transfer window, all of which were rebuffed by Espanyol. With Garcia’s release clause set to increase from €25m to €30m in January, Arsenal may soon find the asking price prohibitively high, as will Barcelona.

The Gunners’ pursuit of Garcia was one of the most notable sagas of the last transfer window, with the club making multiple offers that ultimately fell short of Espanyol’s demands.

MADRID, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 21: Joan Garcia of RCD Espanyol saves a shot from Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid during the LaLiga match between Real Madrid CF and RCD Espanyol de Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 21, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The Spanish club held firm on their valuation, leading Arsenal to explore alternative options, resulting in the loan signing of Neto from Bournemouth as a stopgap measure.

For now, Barcelona have opted for another former Arsenal goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczęsny, on a short-term deal following his decision to come out of retirement.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – OCTOBER 01: Wojciech Szczesny of FC Barcelona poses for a selfie with a fan, prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between FC Barcelona and BSC Young Boys at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on October 01, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The Pole, who spent a large part of his career at Juventus after leaving North London, has agreed to join Barcelona until June 2025, providing an experienced option to fill the immediate gap left by ter Stegen.