Yahoo Sports Raya joins Arsenal on permanent transfer
Goalkeeper David Raya has joined Arsenal on a permanent basis.
Raya spent last season on loan in north London, keeping 16 clean sheets in 32 Premier League appearances, and the Gunners have taken up their option to extend the Spaniard’s stay at Emirates Stadium.
Raya joined Brentford in July 2019 from Blackburn Rovers. He made 49 appearances during a debut season that culminated in a play-off final defeat to Fulham. His 16 clean sheets in the Sky Bet Championship saw him share the EFL Golden Glove award with Bartosz Białkowski.
The Bees went one better the following campaign, with Raya integral to the side’s success. Raya made 48 appearances in all competitions, keeping 17 clean sheets, as Brentford again forged a path to Wembley Stadium, beating Swansea City in the play-off final to earn a first promotion to the Premier League.
Brentford celebrated their return to the top flight after a 74-year absence by opening the 2021/22 Premier League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Arsenal. Raya enjoyed an impressive start to the season, keeping three clean sheets in the Bees’ opening nine league games, but a knee injury sustained against Leicester City in October disrupted his momentum.
The 28-year-old returned in February and made a further 13 league appearances for Brentford that season as the Bees finished 13th. He earned his maiden international call-up in March 2022 and made his first appearance for Spain in a 2-1 win over Albania.
Raya was an ever-present for Brentford in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign as Thomas Frank’s side ended the season in ninth. With 20 clean sheets in 62 Premier League appearances, Raya is second only to Joe Crozier (25) for most top-flight shutouts in Brentford history.
The Spain international, who helped his nation to a 1-0 victory over Albania at Euro 2024 earlier this month, made 41 appearances for Premier League runners-up Arsenal last term.
He kept 16 clean sheets in 32 league appearances to earn the Golden Glove award, and played all but one of the Gunners’ Champions League games as Mikel Arteta’s exited the competition at the quarter-final stage with a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich.
Brentford director of football Phil Giles said: “Everyone at Brentford knows that David is an outstanding goalkeeper, and he showed it again last season at Arsenal. I’m sure he’ll go on to even more success, and on behalf of everyone at Brentford we wish him well.”
