After selling goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to the Saints last summer, it was revealed that the deal included a survival bonus for Arsenal if Saints beat the drop this season. After their 3-1 loss to Tottenham this week however, the club made history as the quickest club to be relegated in Premier League history.
Southampton would have paid Arsenal £1m if they had avoided relegation on top of their upfront fee of £18m by selling Ramsdale. Despite some great saves over the course of the season, the club will play Championship football next season alongside a new manager after Ivan Juric was let go on Monday morning.
The Standard report that Arsenal hold a long-term interest in Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia and are expected to return for him this summer. Espanyol sporting director, Fran Garagarza confirmed that they are open to selling the young prospect who could be one of the biggest moves of the summer.
“In the final stretch of the transfer window, we have to ask for the release clause, but if a good offer comes in before then, we’ll study it,” Garagarza told Radio Marca.
"But the important thing is to know what we would do with that money. We have to work on the line of succession.”