David Raya made his UCL debut in Arsenal’s emphatic win over PSV on Wednesday night, but it’s been a long journey for the Spaniard. Raya balanced football with futsal during his teenage years before making the switch to England to join the Blackburn Rovers youth setup in 2012.
Raya’s ball-playing abilities caught the eye of Mikel Arteta, who decided to include him in his goalkeeping unit when Raya made a loan move from Brentford to North London. Now, he aims to establish himself as the undisputed number 1 for the Gunners. The loanee has shared insights into Mikel Arteta’s decision to play him instead of Ramsdale.
David Raya talks about getting picked over Aaron Ramsdale
David Raya forced a move away from Brentford to join Arsenal, making many fans praise his commitment to the North London club and also indicated how big Arteta has turned Arsenal around as a club since joining from Manchester City. Raya is on an initial season-long loan that could be made permanent next summer, as Arsenal can make the move permanent.
Aaron Ramsdale had been Arsenal’s primary goalkeeper since joining from Brighton, but the Englishman may now be concerned about his place in the team as Raya appears more confident with the ball at his feet, which has become a crucial factor for modern goalkeepers.
Raya made a second consecutive start for Arsenal as he sought to secure his position as the team’s goalkeeper. With another clean sheet in Arsenal’s resounding 4-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the UCL, Ramsdale has yet to concede a goal in the two matches he has played for Arsenal so far, and he did not hesitate to comment on his status at the club after yesterday’s win.
“That’s his (Mikel Arteta) choice, not my choice. When Aaron comes back in, he needs to fight for the team and to win games,” the Spanish international goalkeeper said when quizzed on why Arteta played him over Ramsdale.
Is David Raya’s move to Arsenal permanent?
David Raya was a subject of interest from several Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Chelsea, but Arsenal won the race for the Spaniard. After proving his worth in the Premier League for two seasons with Brentford, Arsenal offered Raya a way to compete for trophies and at 28, it was an offer he couldn’t turn down.
The Gunners signed Raya on an initial loan deal to fulfill their FFP obligations. When announcing the transfer, Arsenal indicated that there was “an option to make the move permanent,” and reports suggest that the final transfer fee may amount to up to £30 million, which includes an initial £3 million loan fee.
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