"Pretty good? It's the best in the history of the football club! It's unbelievable. And I was hammered when I brought him! That's perspective as well. When a few months or years go by, it's really good to look back and reflect. With the help of everybody, he's had a tremendous impact on the team. What he's done in that period is an exception."
"When Arteta sanctioned Raya's move from Brentford in 2023, eyebrows were raised. Arsenal already had Aaron Ramsdale, who had been signed not long before and had established himself as a fan favourite. Critics accused Arteta of unnecessary disruption and questioned the logic behind spending 30 million in total on another goalkeeper. Fast forward to 2025, and Raya has emphatically silenced those doubts."
Arteta signed David Raya from Brentford in 2023 despite criticism that Arsenal already had Aaron Ramsdale and concerns about spending around 30 million on another goalkeeper. Raya has conceded 81 goals in 99 appearances and recorded 41 clean sheets, winning back-to-back Premier League Golden Glove awards and becoming the most statistically successful goalkeeper in Arsenal history over his first 100 games. Arteta praised Raya's impact and noted that initial criticism has been overturned by performance. Raya's emergence has paralleled Arsenal's growth under Arteta, with the team developing into genuine title challengers and making other significant signings like Declan Rice and Ben White.
Read at www.caughtoffside.com
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