English club Arsenal confirmed today, Wednesday, that it has completed the permanent signing of David Raya from Brentford.
Sources told ESPN that Arsenal paid an initial £3 million ($3.8 million) to sign Raya on loan last season and have now exercised a £27 million ($34.3 million) option to sign him on a long-term contract.
The 28-year-old kept 20 clean sheets in 41 appearances last season and won the Premier League Golden Glove award as Arsenal finished second behind Manchester City.
“After a year on loan with Arsenal, I can finally say that I am an Arsenal player for the coming years,” Raya said.
“I am excited to see what the future holds but I always live and enjoy 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 over the past year.”
Although the deal for Raya was widely expected, it raises further doubts over the future of Aaron Ramsdale, who was linked with a move to Newcastle but broke off any talks while he was with England at Euro 2024.
“David showed us last season how important he is to us, so we are delighted that he is now officially our player,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. “He is a big player in our dressing room and we are really happy to continue working with him.”
“We know he will continue to build on the strong foundations he laid last season in the years to come, and that he will enjoy further success with us.
“We have a very talented group of goalkeepers and I love seeing connections like I see in our goalkeeping unit.”
Sporting director Edu added: “The signing of David is another strong example of our recruitment strategy as we continue to build a squad capable of competing for major titles.”
“We know there is a lot more to come and we are excited that he will continue to be a big part of the journey we are all on.”
