EXCLUSIVE: Raya will be FIRST CHOICE at Arsenal as Arteta plans to dump Ramsdale
Steve Kay
- Updated: 2 Aug 2023 10:59 BST
- 3 min read
Exclusive
Arsenal will sign David Raya as a replacement for Aaron Ramsdale and not as competition, a source close to the deal has told FootballTransfers.
The Gunners have approached the Brentford goalkeeper and have even agreed personal terms with the 27-year-old, who has just a year left to run on his contract.
A transfer, though, is not inevitable, with the Bees having shown no appetite to budge from their €40 million valuation of the shot-stopper, who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €12m.
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Arsenal, though, could well be drawn into a big deal for the Spaniard, with Mikel Arteta having earmarked him very much as a replacement for Ramsdale, despite the Englishman’s excellent performances for the club since arriving in 2021 for €28m.
“Make no mistake if David Raya is signed by Arsenal he will be brought in as the No.1 goalkeeper,” a source close to the deal told FootballTransfers. “It’s terrible news for Ramsdale.”
REVEALED: Raya wanted to join Man Utd before Arsenal interest
Arteta learning from Guardiola
It has already been noted that the arrival of Raya would be reminiscent of the situation at Manchester City, when Pep Guardiola controversially decided to ditch long-time hero Joe Hart in favour of Claudio Bravo and, ultimately, Ederson. This allowed Guardiola’s side to have more control playing out from the back.
Speaking in 2020 to BBC Five Live
Arteta had just been appointed a coach under Guardiola at the time and saw first-hand the impact the change of No.1 had in elevating City to the stage whereby they could ultimately win the Champions League.
It appears that the Spaniard is replicating that tactic at Arsenal as he rebuilds the Gunners into a team that is capable of matching Man City and once again going stride-for-stride in a bid to win the Premier League.
Although the transfer fee could be a sticking point in the deal, Arsenal paid what appeared over the odds for Ramsdale two years ago and were rewarded for their gamble, and though Raya is considerably older at 27, as a goalkeeper, he is still to reach his peak.
