DONE DEAL – Arsenal finally seal move for Top-class sensational star on a season long move after player was spotted training with the team yesterday, medicals completed today, jersey number to be announced today
DONE DEAL – Arsenal finally seal move for Top-class sensational star on a season long move after player was spotted training with the team yesterday, medicals completed today, jersey number to be announced today
Arsenal is expected to confirm David Ray as a permanent player. The goalkeeper was loaned out in the summer as the Gunners wanted to comply with financial rules.
The Gunners were very ambitious in the summer transfer window as Mikel Arteta wanted to boost his title hopes. The signing of Ray was initially a surprise, as Aaron Ramsdale was an ever-present last season.
The club paid £3 million on loan and agreed a price of £27 million for a permanent deal, totalling £30 million, as Arsenal sought to overcome fears about financial fair play. Raya has made a total of 20 appearances and kept eight clean sheets since displacing Ramsdale as first choice in the first few weeks of the campaign.
Arsenal have yet to announce a new player in the January transfer window. However, journalist Fabrizio Romano believes it is only a matter of time before Raya joins the club permanently, as key details are already in place.
“It will happen soon. From what I’ve heard, it’s already been agreed, so I don’t know when they’ll officially announce it,” Romano told Give Me Sport. “It’s something that was agreed in the summer. The contract with Ray was initially going to be permanent, but they had to change the structure of the contract for financial fair play. Brentford decided to help Arsenal with that, but it won’t change anything. The contract will be permanent.”
Raya was expected to leave Brentford in the summer after previously rejecting an offer of a new contract. However, as part of the deal he signed with the Gunners, the 28-year-old has signed a new two-year contract with Brentford with the option to extend for a further year.
Raya has impressed in his four seasons with the Bees, and his performances have also earned him a call-up to the Spanish national team. Last season, Brentford looked partly set for European football, but Raya was recognised for his contribution when he was nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month in January.
