Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia is said to be “open” to a move to Arsenal in the upcoming summer transfer window, according to a report.

At 23 and potentially available for just €25m (£20.6m), Garcia is a man in demand.

Arsenal have reportedly been pursuing the Olympic gold medallist since last summer when they allegedly had a bid of €20m (£16.7m) rejected. Manchester United and Barcelona, local rivals of Espanyol, have also shown interest in Garcia, but the Gunners have received encouraging news in their pursuit.

The Athletic‘s David Ornstein reports that Mikel Arteta has identified his fellow countryman as Arsenal’s ideal backup goalkeeper to first-choice David Raya, noting that Garcia “would be open to the move” even though no agreement has been reached yet.

Only four goalkeepers have conceded more La Liga goals than Garcia this season, including Giorgi Mamardashvili, who is bound for Liverpool. However, unlike the Georgian international set to join Merseyside, Garcia was expected to retrieve the ball from his own net even more often this season.

Based upon the quality and quantity of shots on target Espanyol’s number one has faced this season, he has prevented between four and five more goals than the average shot-stopper – no other goalkeeper in Spain’s top flight can match Garcia in this metric. For comparison, Arsenal’s David Raya has prevented just one more goal than expected.

The first La Liga keeper to rebuff more than a century of shots this term, many of Garcia’s saves have been spectacular; Espanyol’s regular and literal saviour was credited with making the division’s ‘Save of the Month’ in February and March.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Barcelona are far from the only clubs interested in Garcia. AS claim that Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid are also sniffing around the in-demand custodian.