Reports this afternoon have suggested that Arsenal have decided to trigger the clause in the loan deal of David Raya which will see him sign for The Gunners on a permanent basis.
It is believed that Mikel Arteta’s side will purchase the Spain international goalkeeper for a fee of around £27 million in June 2024.
Raya joined the club on loan before the start of this season and has since usurped Aaron Ramsdale as the number one and first choice ‘keeper at the Emirates Stadium.
The Barcelona-born 28-year-old has received a bit of criticism in the last month or so but news of his impending permanent arrival will put to bed any concerns that Arteta may be thinking about bringing Ramsdale back into the starting lineup.
Raya, who has received three caps for the Spanish national team, began his youth career in Catalonia with Cornella before moving to England in 2012 and joining Blackburn Rovers.
With the Lancastrian club, he made his professional debut in 2014, out on loan at Southport. He went on to make 108 appearances for the Ewood Park outfit before his move to Championship rivals Brentford in the summer transfer window of 2019 for a fee believed to be in the region of £3 million.
Whilst with The Bees, Brentford reached the playoff final in 2020, eventually losing to Fulham, before gaining promotion to the top-flight in the playoff final of 2021, defeating Steve Cooper’s Swansea City at Wembley Stadium.
After first signing for Arsenal a couple of months ago, he spent the first few matches of his time with the club on the bench before the aforementioned Ramsdale before making his debut in a 1-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park after the September international break.
Since then, though, he has played in every match bar the two EFL Cup ties – one in which he was ineligible against Brentford and the other at West Ham United. He will be unavailable this weekend as he ineligible so it is expected that Aaron Ramsdale starts at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.
