Arsenal are ‘100%’ signing Spanish star in the summer window.
Arsenal are all but guaranteed to sign David Raya when the summer transfer window opens, with a deal between the Gunners and Brentford having already been ‘agreed’, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed exclusively to GIVEMESPORT.
Raya has spent the season on loan at the north Londoners, but it’s expected his stay at the Emirates Stadium will be made permanent, with Arsenal and Brentford holding a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with each other. The only question that remains to be answered is when Arsenal will announce the signing as a permanent deal, with Romano hinting that is still yet to be figured out.
Raya start earning mixed reviews so far
It was one of the shock moments from the 2023 summer window, after it was revealed that Arsenal had agreed a deal to bring Raya to the club. Incumbent number one at the time, Aaron Ramsdale, was pushed to one side, with Raya waltzing into the starting 11 and taking his spot.
That’s the way it’s stayed ever since, as the Spaniard has remained the number-one goalkeeper pick, with Ramsdale relegated to second choice in the Arsenal ranks. Since arriving in north London, Raya has featured 21 times across all competitions, including 16 Premier League outings and five of the Gunners’ six Champions League group-stage games.
However, not everybody has been enamoured with the decision to double up in the goalkeeper department, with Gary Neville just one of several dissenting voices. The pundit brandished the move to bring Raya to the club as a mistake, telling Sky Sports:
“I’ve said this before, I’m not a fan of competition for goalkeepers. I think you need a clear number one and then a clear number two. That’s my view.”
Raya to stick around in north London despite criticisms
However, despite such criticism, it’s already looking like Raya will remain at Arsenal beyond the current campaign. When the deal was agreed back in the summer transfer window, it was revealed that Arsenal had an option to buy Raya permanently in the goalkeeper’s contract.
According to Sky Sports, the figure Arsenal would have to fork out to make the Raya move permanent is in the £27 million region. That’s on top of the £3 million loan fee the 2022/23 Premier League runners-up have already paid to have Raya at the club this season too, taking the total to £30m.
But now, with half of the season already done, attention is switching towards when Arsenal might decide to announce Raya’s transfer to the club as a permanent deal.
Fabrizio Romano update – Arsenal waiting on Raya decision
When quizzed by GIVEMESPORT about the Raya situation at Arsenal, Romano reiterated the shot-stopper is definitely signing for the club permanently. Pointing towards a gentleman’s agreement between the two clubs, Romano is confident Raya will be at Arsenal next season, but questioned when the permanent deal will be sealed.
That’s because, Arsenal are battling FFP concerns after consecutive summers of hefty spending, meaning they have to be careful with when they announce the £27 million signing. On the current situation with Raya and Arsenal, Romano told GIVEMESPORT on Tuesday afternoon:
“I have absolutely no idea when they will announce, but I’m 100% sure that David Raya will be signed on a permanent transfer because it’s something they already agreed.
“When they signed the contract for a loan deal with an option to buy, the gentleman’s agreement between all parties on the player side and the two clubs was to get this deal permanent in 2024.
“I think it’s just about the clubs deciding when is the best time to announce. Also, financial fair play is important, so there needs to be a way to make it the best way possible, but David Raya will be an Arsenal player.”
Such FFP concerns have limited the amount of business Arsenal have been able to do in the January window, but that doesn’t mean the capital club will be quiet when the summer rolls around. In fact, it’s already being claimed that Raya’s compatriot, Martin Zubimendi, is being targeted for an end-of-season move.
The midfielder has impressed at La Liga outfit Real Sociedad, with Romano telling GIVEMESPORT earlier in the week that Arsenal hold ‘concrete interest’ in the player. What’s more, Zubimendi has a modest £51 million release clause inserted into his contract with the Spanish side, meaning a move to north London wouldn’t necessarily break Arsenal’s bank.
With Mikel Arteta said to be a long-time admirer of Zubimendi, expect to see Arsenal pushing hard for the 24-year-old, when the summer window opens at the end of the campaign.
About The Author
