Brentford goalkeeper joins Mikel Arteta's side - but why are Arsenal signing David Raya?

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Arsenal have continued their impressive summer spending spree with the arrival of Brentford goalkeeper David Raya. On Tuesday the Premier League club confirmed the signing of the shot-stopper on a season-long loan deal, with an obligation to buy the player next year. Although original reports suggested a fee in the range of €46.5 million, Arsenal are now expected to pay just around €35m to make the move permanent. 

While the money Arsenal have spent on stars like Kai Havertz and Declan Rice may need little justification, bringing in another first-choice goalkeeper undoubtedly raises a few eyebrows. Especially when we consider the fact that Mikel Arteta can already call upon one of the best keepers in the Premier League. So why are Arsenal signing Raya? 

Do Arsenal need another goalkeeper? 

As things currently stand, there’s little to suggest that Arsenal need another goalkeeper. Not only do they have a league-leading shot-stopper in Aaron Ramsdale, but they also recently added Matt Turner to their ranks last summer to be the club’s No.2. Add reserve keeper Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson to that mix and Arteta can sleep easy at night knowing that he has a full stock of keepers at his disposal. 

However, that has quickly changed. Turner departed the club in early August for a move to Nottingham Forest, as Steve Cooper’s team are in need of a first-choice keeper and the American talent was undoubtedly tempted to make the move in search of regular game time. Which, in turn, now allows Arsenal to sign Raya as their second goalkeeper. However, it’s unlikely that the Spaniard now makes the move to North London with the intention of sitting on the bench every weekend.  

Why are they signing David Raya? 

While it’s often extremely hard to compare one goalkeeper to another, considering the manner in which shot-stoppers are often victims of circumstance and either benefit or struggle due to the defences in front of them, there are some notable stats that suggest why Arsenal have added Raya to their roster of keepers. The Brentford star has been celebrated in the English top-flight for his ball control and ability to pass as well as any outfield player. So much so that back in 2021, Raya’s array of passes left Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp impressed, following a 3-3 draw with Brentford. “The goalkeeper could have the shirt with number 10,” the Liverpool boss said. “He played a few incredible balls but it was the right thing to do against us today.” And the stats from last season’s Premier League campaign certainly back that up. 

As we can see in the graphic above, while Raya and Ramsdale’s total completed short passes over the course of the season are relatively equal, the former Brentford shot-stopper completed far more long passes and over twice three times as many passes into the opposition half. And while the manner in which Brentford and Arsenal play contrasting styles of football may play a role in these numbers varying wildly, it doesn't mask the fact that Raya is perfectly comfortable creating moves from his own box and Ramsdale tends to play it safe with short passes. Whether Raya has the ability to replace Ramsdale entirely is certainly up for debate. The England goalkeeper enjoyed an excellent campaign last season and is one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League. But if Arteta is looking for a ball-playing goalkeeper, this new signing may offer exactly that and add an extra dimension to Arsenal’s team next season.