Andrea Berta’s former club now have a smart plan to steal one of Mikel Arteta’s top targets away from Arsenal

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Arsenal’s plans for the summer transfer window depend on Andrea Berta.

The Gunners did nothing in January, and the pressure is now on the board to deliver before the start of next season.

Berta is set to be announced as Arsenal’s new sporting director soon, and the Italian has a lot of work to do at the Emirates Stadium.

One of his big challenges could be to stop his old side – Atletico Madrid – from signing one of Mikel Arteta’s top targets this summer.

Atletico Madrid’s clever plan to sign Arsenal target Joan Garcia

Arsenal have wanted to sign Joan Garcia for about a year now.

The Espanyol goalkeeper has made a tremendous name for himself in Spain, and his performances have made him a wanted man across Europe.

Arsenal tried to sign Garcia last summer, but they could not meet Espanyol’s demands. The Gunners brought in Neto instead on a season-long loan deal.

Arteta and co are expected to move for Garcia again this summer, but they face competition from Atletico Madrid, whose offer could be way more tempting for Espanyol than Arsenal’s.

Estadio Deportivo reveal that although Diego Simeone’s side want to sign Garcia, they are in no hurry as they are happy to have Jan Oblak for another season.

So, Atletico Madrid are willing to sign the goalkeeper now and then send him back to Espanyol on loan for next season.

That, the report claims, benefits all parties as Garcia would continue playing and Espanyol won’t have to search for a replacement for another year.

That is bad news for Arsenal.

Another excellent goalkeeper is on Arsenal’s list

Garcia is definitely Arteta’s top goalkeeper target, but the competition for his signature could complicate things for Arsenal this summer.

That is why the Gunners have other options on their list.

One of them, according to TBR Football, is Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu, who recently broke a club record of minutes played without conceding a goal.

The 22-year-old has been tipped as the heir to Manuel Neuer’s position in the German national team, and his terrific record with penalties has earned him the nickname ‘penalty killer’.

If Garcia becomes unattainable, Atubolu would be a very decent backup option for David Raya.