David Raya talks of his relationship with Aaron Ramsdale at Arsenal

PREMIER LEAGUE David Raya talks of his relationship with Aaron Ramsdale at Arsenal

Mark Kinyanjui 21:00 - 17.10.2023

Raya signed on loan from Brentford in the summer, and has since relegated Ramsdale to the bench.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has revealed how the relationship with Aaron Ramsdale really is since sealing his move to the North London outfit in August.

Raya barely featured in his first three weeks at the club, but was preferred to Ramsdale in September against Everton in their 1-0 win at Goodison. He has kept his place as the club’s first choice keeper since then, with Ramsdale featuring just once against Raya’s parent club Brentford.

The decision to drop Ramsdale has sparked plenty of debate, with fans and pundits questioning the reason to drop a popular figure when he really has done much wrong.

There were also concerns raised on the harmony of the team especially considering both keepers are current second choice custodians for their respective nations, and will want to impress their coaches in they are to stand a chance of making the team for the Euros next summer.

Raya has however insisted that the relationship between the two is “very good” and “healthy”.

“The relationship? It’s very good,” said Raya. “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.”

Meanwhile, the on-loan goalie has revealed that his ideal dream is to win a title with Arsenal, before making the Spain squad for the Euros.

“I don’t like to look to the future, I like to look at the day-to-day… but the perfect end would be to win a title with Arsenal, to be called up to the national team for the European Championship, and to have a good tournament.”

Arteta has stressed he does not have a set number one and that the goalkeepers could be rotated. He has even floated the idea of substituting a goalkeeper during a match.