Arsenal have completed the signing of Spanish goalkeeper David Raya on a season-long loan from Brentford with an option to buy. The 27-year-old will be competing with Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale and has been assigned the jersey number 22.

The two-time capped Spanish international signed a two-year contract extension with the Bees to ensure that the loan move goes ahead and give Raya a soft landing should a permanent move to Emirates Stadium doesn’t happen.

However, Brentford director of football Phil Giles explained that the chances of Raya returning were not very high as the goalkeeper himself showed his delight to move to Arsenal.

“I’m over the moon to be able to take this challenge in my career and make the step up. I’ve seen Arsenal a lot for a lot of years, and since [Arteta] came, he’s made a massive difference to the style of play and to the club. The way the team plays out of the back, being confident, and taking possession of the other team is the main thing why I fit into the team. I’m going to try and help as much as possible, and we’ll see what happens. I spoke to the boss, and he sent me the values of what Arsenal are about. The way that the club is going, it’s growing even more, so it is a beautiful challenge to take, and I couldn’t say no.” Raya said.

Raya moved to England when he joined Blackburn as a 16-year-old in July 2012; he played 108 times in all competitions did the club before joining Brentford in July 2018 for around £3m, helping them win promotion to the Premier League in 2021. Raya made a total of 161 appearances for Brentford.

Meanwhile, speculations have started about the number one spot for the Gunners as Ramsdale was crucial in the title race for Arsenal last season, presenting Mikel Arteta with a dilemma in selecting Arsenal’s number one this season.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu