With Arsenal set to sell Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton, and Karl Hein moving on loan to Real Valladolid, the Gunners need to secure a solid backup to David Raya before Friday’s transfer deadline.
It was long believed that backup would be Espanyol’s Joan Garcia, but the Spanish club are holding firm to the goalkeeper’s release clause, a €30m fee Arsenal are unwilling to pay.
As a result, the Gunners have pivoted, and they’re now on the verge of signing Neto from AFC Bournemouth on loan.
David Ornstein reports for The Athletic that Arsenal have reached an agreement with Bournemouth to sign Neto on a season-long loan, with no buy option or obligation.
Neto will hold a medical on deadline day, with Ornstein explaining that the deal came about after the Gunners hit an impasse in talks for Garcia.
Fabrizio Romano suggests the Neto deal still hinges on Garcia, with Arsenal only planning to proceed with finalising the loan if the move for the Espanyol goalkeeper collapses on deadline day.
But James McNicholas reports the Garcia deal is now “highly unlikely” in this window.
In the meantime, Neto is going ahead with the formal aspects of his move, with Simon Stone reporting that he’s holding a medical at Arsenal on Friday morning.
If the goalkeeper is to be in Arsenal’s squad against Brighton on Saturday, the deal needs to be done by midday.
