Arsenal may have brought in Kai Havertz from Chelsea, Jurrien Timber from Ajax, and Declan Rice from West Ham United, but it doesn’t seem as though manager Mikel Arteta is done with the summer transfer deals as the Spanish manager hopes to bring in a goalkeeper before the Gunners kick-start their premier league campaign with a fixture against Nottingham Forest on August 12.
It has been a surprising development since the news broke of Arsenal’s interest in Brentford’s David Raya despite the incredible showings of Aaron Ramsdale in the last season for the Gunners and the presence of his deputy Matt Turner.
Apparently, it is the US goalkeeper whose future at the Emirates Stadium remains uncertain and may be leaving the team in search of first-team actions leaving Arsenal with no choice but to look for a competitor for Aaron Ramsdale for the new season.
Bentford’s David Raya has been linked with a move away from the club, with interests coming in from outside the Premier League, and this is because the Spanish goalkeeper has a single year left on his contract.
German Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are also interested, albeit reports indicate that the goalkeeper prefers a move to Arsenal rather than Bayern Munich, but Brentford manager Thomas Frank says he knows little about the interests.
“All the links, all the hustle and bustle, and if it gets done, we’ll know it; I don’t know too much. I am not dealing with it… Like everything, it is a negotiation. I would love to get £ 40 million. He was one of the four best keepers in the Premier League last season. Declan Rice had one year left and was sold for £ 105 million. Harry Kane is being spoken of as £100m+. So for a keeper, at his best age [it’s fair]. Good thing I am not negotiating”.
The Gunners will kick off their Premier League campaign for the 2023/2024 season against Nottingham Forest on August 12.
Daniel Ademiju Idowu