According to The Athletic, Arsenal are weighing up a late move for Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto after negotiations for Espanyol's Joan Garcia hit an impasse.

Despite courting Garcia for several months, and reportedly agreeing personal terms with the player, the Gunners are unwilling to pay the EUR30 million release clause that would guarantee his transfer. Unwilling to part with a highly-rated talent so late in the window, Espanyol are understandably playing hardball.

With just over 24 hours of the transfer window remaining, Edu needs to secure a backup keeper to David Raya before sanctioning Aaron Ramsdale's proposed move to Southampton. A fee for the England international has already been agreed and the player has undergone his medical. Presumably, he's sitting in a hotel somewhere on the South Coast biting his nails while his fate is decided by others.

The decision to turn attention to Neto, a player who has been linked with the Gunners in the past, is purely pragmatic. The ex-Barcelona stopper, 35, is set to be usurped at the Vitality by the newly arrived Kepa Arrizabalaga and will be available on loan for a comparatively small fee.

In truth, having loaned Karl Hein to Real Valladolid, Arsenal could do with buying two goalkeepers on deadline day. It remains to be seen where else they cast their nets. Wigan's Sam Tickle was linked yesterday.