Arsenal goalkeeper transfer target Joan Garcia compared to Lionel Messi by Espanyol manager as in-demand stopper receives obscene praise

Arsenal transfer target Joan Garcia has been compared to Lionel Messi and has been backed to become a "reference" for goalkeepers across the globe.

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• Espanyol manager in awe of goalkeeper
• Linked with Arsenal and Real Madrid
• Given an immense amount of praise

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Garcia has been linked with a move to the Gunners since last summer, as the club tabled a bid worth €20 million (£17m/$22m) for the goalkeeper after Aaron Ramsdale left to join Southampton. That bid was rejected and Garcia has since gone from strength to strength. Per , he has the highest save percentage of any goalkeeper in La Liga, as well as the best saves per 90 rate.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Over the weekend, Espanyol beat Getafe 1-0 with Garcia again keeping a clean sheet to put more ground between themselves and the relegation zone. After the game, coach Manolo Gonzalez reserved astonishing praise for his stopper and even cited the impact of Messi at Barcelona as a comparison.

• WHAT GONZALEZ SAID

  Gonzalez said: “Joan Garcia will be a world reference, without a doubt. Hopefully, because he deserves it, by level and by person. This is the same as when Barcelona had Messi. There was a stuck game and he solved it.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Espanyol are seven points clear of the drop zone. Their next game comes against Valencia on Tuesday.