Barcelona set to win the race for highly-coveted Joan Garcia | OneFootball

Barcelona are in advanced talks to reach a verbal agreement with Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia ahead of a summer move (h/t journalist Fabrizio Romano).

The Catalan giants have prioritised signing a new goalie this summer despite Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s presence, identifying Garcia as their primary target.

The Spaniard, who has a release clause worth €25 million, has attracted interest from Real Madrid, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Manchester United.

Garcia reportedly wouldn’t consider a move to Barca unless he is guaranteed a starter role, but is now close to giving the green light to the La Liga champions.

The 23-year-old’s arrival could also mean the end of Ter Stegen’s time at Barca, as his future has been plunged into uncertainty in recent weeks.

Barca could sell the long-serving German keeper to recoup the transfer fee for Garcia and balance the books.

Ter Stegen has remained unchallenged for years, despite scrutiny from fans for his poor performances.

The 33-year-old missed a large part of the last season due to a knee injury, but Wojciech Szczesny, who came in as an emergency signing, made a brilliant impact.

The Polish keeper played a pivotal role in Barca winning the domestic treble after coming out of retirement.

He is set to extend his contract with the Blaugrana for one more season, agreeing to be the second-choice keeper.

Garcia has had a breakout stellar campaign this season, helping Espanyol escape relegation.