- Arsenal bid £20m + £3m add ons
- Personal terms agreed with Raya
- Brentford's asking price is higher
WHAT HAPPENED? According to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners have submitted an initial bid for the Spaniard which is significantly lower than the Bees' £40 million ($50.88m) valuation. It is therefore expected that the bid will be turned down by Brentford. However, it is also understood that the player's entourage has informed the club that he wants to join the North London outfit which could help contract talks.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Moreover, Daily Mail reports that Arsenal have emerged as the favourites to land Raya after Brentford rejected a loan deal offer from Bayern Munich that included an option to sign the goalkeeper permanently.
AND WHAT'S MORE: Mikel Arteta remains unsure about Matt Turner, who is currently the No. 2 at the Emirates. Hence, the Gunners are looking to acquire Raya as a backup option for Aaron Ramsdale, aiming to provide competition for the England international in cup competitions. It is well-known that Arsenal had Raya on their shortlist even before they signed Ramsdale as their Spanish manager admires his ability with the ball and his impressive distribution.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? With Raya expected to leave Brentford this summer, the negotiations between Arsenal and the club are likely to continue. The keeper has less than a year remaining on his contract at the Gtech Community Stadium.