‘Paperwork done, agreement reached’ – Fabrizio Romano: Arsenal have sealed deal to sign player in 2024 after agreement reached today
Arsenal have made up their mind to sign Brentford goalkeeper David Raya on a permanent basis in 2024, according to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Raya has already signed a potential long-term contract as an Arsenal player ahead of the expiration of his loan deal next June.
The North Londoners could not sign the Spaniard permanently last summer so as not to break Financial Fair Play rules having spent over £200m on the acquisition of Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice.
Raya has established himself as the first-choice goalie for Arsenal, but Aaron Ramsdale will be in goal against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.
Raya is not allowed to face his parent club in the Premier League due to the rules and regulations, but he is expected to return to action afterwards.
His England international counterpart has conceded eight goals in seven games across all competitions for Arsenal so far this season, while the Spaniard has let in nine goals in 12 games for the Gunners despite appearing shaky at times.
The 28-year-old will be desperate to become the first-choice for his country ahead of the European Championships next summer, and he knows he needs to be performing consistently well at club level to boost his chances.
Ramsdale will continue pushing Raya in a bid to become Arsenal’s number 1 again, and the game on Saturday could give him an opportunity to reclaim his spot.
Whether he can seize the rare chance remains to be seen, but it would take some performance from the England international to force Gunners boss Mikel Arteta to retain him in the starting XI going forward.
