Fabrizio Romano has delivered music to the ears of club fans in terms of adding David Raya to their first-team squad before the start of their Premier League campaign against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, August 12.
Romano has given his update regarding the future of Raya, confirming that the Gunners have finally struck an agreement with Brentford to sign their no.1 goalkeeper ahead of the new league campaign.
It’s stated that a deal was agreed after they finalised personal terms with the Spaniard earlier this month. Romano claims that the two clubs are now working on preparing the necessary documents to get the deal over the line. He is likely to undergo his medical tests later this week before completing the move. Romano has also mentioned that the deal will cost the Gunners around £30 million and that the goalkeeper, who is rumoured to have earned £25k per week with the Bees, has agreed a five-year contract.
Raya has been involved in a rather dramatic summer transfer saga. He was initially reported to be a target for Arsenal’s rival Tottenham Hotspur, who looked at him to replace Hugo Lloris before signing Guglielmo Vicario. Manchester United were also reported to be interested but were unable to agree a deal with Brentford. Instead, the 27-year-old will now be moving to join up with Mikel Arteta’s side.
What Else Are Arsenal Working On?
With the Spanish goalkeeper set to add more depth to their goalkeeping department, Arsenal are reported to be close to selling Matt Turner to Nottingham Forest. As a result, Raya could be a like-for-like replacement and also act as major competition for Aaron Ramsdale.
The 27-year-old goalkeeper, who was hailed as “top class“ by Michael Owen last season, made 161 appearances for Brentford and kept 54 clean sheets across all competitions. He’s made two appearances for the Spanish national team and has all the qualities of a modern goalkeeper, which should help him compete strongly for the Gunners no.1 spot.
