Who is David Raya? The Brentford goalkeeper wanted by Man Utd and Chelsea

Karan Tejwani

14 Feb 2023 08:50 GMT
4 min read

Interest is rising in Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, as Manchester United and Chelsea are monitoring his situation at the Bees.

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Raya has impressed since joining the Premier League last season as Brentford got promoted, and he could well be in his last campaign at the club as interest from the league’s top clubs could tempt him to make a move away.

Manchester United are eager to sign a new number one to succeed David de Gea while Chelsea are in the same position as Edouard Mendy struggles for form and Kepa Arrizzabalaga isn’t the most trustworthy.

READ: Man Utd and Chelsea told Raya's Kepa-inspired asking price

So, who is Raya and what can he bring?

What position does Raya play in?

Raya is a goalkeeper and has played in England since 2014, having started his career at Blackburn Rovers before moving to Brentford.

READ: Revealed: Chelsea's three-man goalkeeper shortlist

How good is Raya?

Raya has established himself as one of the most in-demand goalkeepers in the Premier League over the last two seasons and even found a place in the Spain squad in recent times.

Former Spain boss Luis Enrique picked him over options like De Gea and Kepa due to the fact that he was more comfortable on the ball, and that is his best skill.

In the Premier League, he has played at least 59 more accurate long-balls (223) than any other player in the this season, showing his ability on the ball.

He has proven over the years that he is capable of playing out from the back and that is a desired asset for several clubs and coaches in the Premier League.

In addition to that, the Spaniard has also proven to be a decent shot-stopper, having made the most saves in the Premier League so far this season: 91.

He also has a strong save percentage of 76.5 percent, which is a testament to his overall quality and ability to make a positive impact on the team in more than one way.

Overall, he would make a huge impact to any team he signs for as he brings quality in multiple ways and commands his area like a top quality goalkeeper should.

What clubs are interested in Raya?

Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham are the three clubs most interested in him and a move in the summer can’t be ruled out as Brentford boss Thomas Frank recently confirmed that Raya rejected two contract offers.

Frank said: "He's turned it down twice, unfortunately, that's a signal he doesn't want that. He must be worth at least £40m, if not more."

❌ 📝 Thomas Frank confirms goalkeeper David Raya has rejected two contract offers from Brentford

🗣 "He's turned it down twice, unfortunately, that's a signal he doesn't want that. He must be worth at least £40m, if not more" pic.twitter.com/lPbgNxrSKO
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 10, 2023

When does Raya’s contract expire?

Raya’s contract runs out at the end of the 2023-24 season and it looks like he will be sold this summer so that Brentford don’t lose him for free next year.