Spain goalkeeper David Raya has completed a permanent move to Arsenal from Brentford.
The 28-year-old spent last season on loan with the Gunners, making 41 appearances in all competitions, with 16 clean sheets in the Premier League seeing him win the Golden Glove.
The deal is worth a reported £27 million (€32 million), which Arsenal confirmed was “subject to the completion of regulatory processes” as manager Mikel Arteta continued his preparations ahead of the new campaign.
David Raya, here to stay 👊
It’s official: last season’s Golden Glove winner has signed a permanent deal at The Arsenal ❤️— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 4, 2024
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“After a year on loan as a Gunner, I can finally say that I’m an Arsenal player for the coming years,” said Raya, who is currently away on international duty with Spain at Euro 2024, where he played in the win over Albania in their final group game.
“I am excited to see what the future holds, but always living in and enjoying the present.
“It is a dream come true to be here, and I want to thank you for all the support you have already given me throughout the last year.”
Raya has established himself ahead of Aaron Ramsdale as Arteta’s first-choice goalkeeper.
“David showed us last season what an important player he is for us, so we are delighted he is now officially our player,” Arteta said on the Arsenal website.
“He is a big presence in our dressing room and we are really pleased to keep working with him.
“We know he will take the strong foundations he put in place last season and build on them in the years to come and that he will enjoy more success with us.
“We have a very talented group of goalkeepers and I love to see connections like the one I see in our goalkeeping unit.”
Good luck to David Raya who kicks off his #EURO2024 campaign today with Spain 🇪🇸🧤 pic.twitter.com/2cukiaUbU6
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) June 15, 2024
Arsenal sporting director Edu feels the addition of Raya shows the intention of the club to go one better than last season, when they finished runners-up to Manchester City in the Premier League.
“David’s signing is another strong example of our recruitment strategy in action, as we continue to build a team that will challenge for major trophies,” Edu said.
“We know there’s so much more to come from him and we are excited that he will continue to be a big part of the journey we are all on.”
