The Blackburn Rovers decision that Arsenal will forever be thankful for | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers were key to David Raya's development, and Arsenal will always be grateful for that

Blackburn Rovers endured a difficult campaign in the Championship as they narrowly avoided relegation.

Michael O’Neill’s arrival in February sparked a turnaround in form that prevented their drop to League One.

The Lancashire outfit finished seventh in the second division 12 months ago, but avoided sliding into the bottom three by just five points in 2025/26.

Blackburn will be hoping for better things from the next campaign, as they will be targeting a climb back up the table under a new manager.

Utilising the club’s impressive academy system could prove as crucial to improving the squad as making the most of the transfer window being open for the summer.

The Championship side have brought through a number of talented players in recent years through their academy system, and it could prove a pivotal asset in turning the team’s form around.

Arsenal will be thankful for Blackburn Rovers decision

The academy has produced plenty of Premier League stars over the years, and one that Arsenal will be very thankful for is David Raya.

The goalkeeper joined the Lancashire outfit in 2012, and showed enough promise to earn a loan spell in 2014/15 to gain some first team experience.

He played 16 times at a non-league level for Southport, keeping five clean sheets and conceding 31 goals.

The Spaniard’s performances earned him the attention of Gary Bowyer, who offered him his first team debut upon his return from loan with a start in a 3-0 win over Leeds United on 4 April 2015.

He played again in their 3-2 win against Ipswich Town a month later, but it wasn’t enough to cement his place as a key player going into the next campaign.

Rovers’ relegation to League One in 2017 proved quite beneficial for the goalkeeper, as he played 45 times under Tony Mowbray to help the team gain promotion straight back to the Championship.

This was pivotal to establishing Raya as first-choice, as his performances in League One ensured he remained an important part of the side in the following campaign as Blackburn finished 15th in the second tier, with the shot-stopper keeping 10 clean sheets.

David Raya reached the top of English football thanks to Blackburn

Blackburn received interest from Brentford for Raya in the summer of 2019, and the Lancashire outfit ultimately cashed in on the Spaniard.

The London outfit earned promotion to the Premier League in his second season with the club, with the goalkeeper proving an integral piece in helping Thomas Frank’s side get over the line.

The Bees lost in the play-off final in 2020, and it was Raya’s blunder that cost the club, but he more than made up for it with a stellar improvement in his level of performance in the following campaign.

The now 30-year-old kept 16 clean sheets and conceded 36 goals from 42 appearances in the regular season, and earned another shutout in the final against Swansea City to seal Brentford’s place in the Premier League.

Raya went from strength to strength in the top flight and, after two standout years, he earned a move to Arsenal for a reported £27 million.

The Gunners finished second in the Premier League in both of his first two seasons, but the team finally clinched top spot this year to end a 22-year wait for the title.

The former Blackburn star was tipped by many as the best player in the division, and his crucial save late in the 1-0 win against West Ham in April typified just how important he was to their championship win.

While Arsenal missed out on a first ever European Cup win, Raya still managed an excellent save in the penalty shootout against PSG in the final, and was one of the best performers on the day.

He has done Blackburn remarkably proud in the years since his move to Brentford, and then Arsenal, and he provides inspiration for those currently in the academy system for what can be achieved by coming through the ranks at Ewood Park.