Spanish keeper David Raya joins Arsenal on season-long loan from Brentford

Arsenal has bolstered their squad with the signing of Spanish international goalkeeper, David Raya, on a season-long loan from Brentford.

Raya, aged 27, has been a pivotal figure for Brentford, having featured in all of their Premier League encounters in the previous season.

Born in Barcelona, David Raya's English football journey began at 16 when he moved to England to join Blackburn Rovers as an academy recruit.

After a brief period with Southport in the National League and achieving promotion to the Championship with Blackburn Rovers, Raya amassed 108 senior appearances. He then transitioned to Brentford in July 2019.

While with Thomas Frank’s Brentford, Raya made an impressive 161 appearances in all competitions.

In his inaugural season, he clinched the EFL Golden Glove award and narrowly missed out on Premier League promotion.

However, the following season witnessed Raya playing a pivotal role, guiding Brentford to a Premier League spot by beating Swansea City in the 2021 Championship play-off final.

On the international front, 2022 was a banner year for the goalkeeper.

After making his debut for Spain in a match against Albania in March 2022, David was included in Spain’s 2022 FIFA World Cup squad.

His stellar year concluded with the 2022/23 season when he, alongside the Spanish team, triumphed over Croatia in the penalties to secure the 2023 UEFA Nations League title.

Arsenal's Sporting Director Edu remarked on the acquisition: “We welcome David to Arsenal on a season-long loan from Brentford. David is a top-quality goalkeeper, consistently showcasing high-level performances with Brentford in the Premier League. With David on board, we're enhancing the quality and depth of our squad, positioning us to compete at the zenith in all contests.”

The terms of the agreement also present Arsenal with the option to make Raya's move a permanent one in the future.