- Raya moved from Brentford to Arsenal
- Has since replaced Ramsdale as No.1
- Raya still 'mates' with Ramsdale
WHAT HAPPENED? The Spaniard emerged as the top choice between the sticks for the Gunners after he sealed a loan move from Brentford with an option to buy for £27m ($34m) at the end of the 2023-24 campaign. However, Mikel Arteta's decision to make a change in goal has given rise to endless debates, especially after Raya's shaky performance against Manchester City. Despite the competition, the Brentford loanee has insisted that there is no animosity between him and Ramsdale.
WHAT THEY SAID: “The relationship? It’s very good,” Raya said to The Athletic. “At the end of the day, we are mates, which is the important thing. We have a very healthy relationship. There are no problems. We push each other every day in training: when he’s a little bit down, I push him, and when I’m a little bit down (he does the same). We train three goalkeepers, four at the most, for hours a week, and you need that kind of relationship because otherwise, the training is not going to go well."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Raya also admitted that he is a huge admirer of Arteta's philosophy and insisted that he will have no problems if the manager decides to rotate in the future. "He was one of the coaches I wanted to work with, his philosophy, how he has transformed Arsenal with the way he has played and it was very important to have him as a coach," he stated. "Arteta gives me the confidence to be there, that he wanted to have two top players in each position, and it was up to me to find the time and fight to get the minutes. I don’t want to think beyond that. If there are rotations, as there are in any position, I’m going to help on and off the pitch."
IN TWO PHOTOS:
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(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT? With the Arsenal No. 1 debate looking settled at the moment, Raya will likely be back in action against Chelsea on October 21 at Stamford Bridge in a Premier League fixture.