Mikel Arteta hails David Raya for reshaping Arsenal’s defence | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has lauded David Raya for reshaping Arsenal’s defence in recent seasons.

According to Goal.com, Raya arrived on loan before making a permanent move and, at 31, has become indispensable in Arsenal’s pursuit of major honours.

Signing him from Brentford in 2023 has proved one of the defining decisions of Arteta’s tenure. He has made 153 appearances, with 72 clean sheets across Europe’s top five leagues.

His authority underpinned last season’s Premier League title, capped by a third successive Golden Glove. Arteta declined to rank signings but called Raya a tremendous addition and said the club are delighted to have him.

He added that the keeper has lifted the team to a different level and the task now is to sustain it. The manager also highlighted Raya’s mentality after early challenges that required him to dig in and prove himself.

Raya’s standing has been reinforced by key interventions, including a recent penalty stop from Enzo Le Fee. Since the start of 2023-24, only Caoimhin Kelleher, with five, has saved more penalties among Premier League goalkeepers in all competitions, excluding shoot-outs.

Across that span, Raya has saved 72.3% of the shots he has faced. Arsenal aim to preserve their perfect start when they face Brighton on Saturday, their final match before an extended international break.

The Gunners have won four of the past six league meetings with the Seagulls, drawing two, matching their total from the first 12 clashes, which featured three draws and five defeats.

Source: Goal.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”