- Raya wants 'to win titles in Europe'
- Contracted to Brentford until 2024
- United, Spurs & Chelsea all sounding out goalkeepers
WHAT HAPPENED? The twice-capped Spain international goalkeeper has impressed for Brentford since their promotion to the Premier League. And at 27 Raya is clearly eager to continue on an upward trajectory, refusing to commit to the Bees amid links with Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea.
WHAT THEY SAID: In an interview with The Athletic, Raya said: “I turned down two contracts, one last year and one this Januar. They weren’t the offers we were looking for. I can only say that.
"I have a contract here, so I’m willing to finish that, but you never know what’s going to happen in the summer. Maybe the club wants to sell, maybe not. Maybe I want to stay. I want to focus on football and see what happens.
“I have big ambitions. I want to play in Europe and I want to fight to win a title. I want to fight to win a European title. I trust myself to be able to play in those types of games.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Although Raya accepted that Brentford wouldn't necessarily want to sell, his contract expires in June 2024, so the west London club may be backed into a corner. And there's a strong possibility that United and Spurs decide to move on from their long term goalkeeping stalwarts, in David de Gea and Hugo Lloris respectively. Raya would fit the bill for both clubs, while free-spending Chelsea have also been strongly linked with a move.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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GettyDID YOU KNOW? Raya has made the most saves of any Premier League goalkeeper this season, with 100. Fulham's Bernd Leno is next on 93.
WHAT NEXT FOR RAYA? In the short-term, the Spaniard will have to focus on Brentford. Their next match is a west London derby against Fulham on March 6.