David Raya agrees improved Arsenal contract after back-to-back Golden Gloves wins | OneFootball

Arsenal have handed David Raya an improved contract to reflect his growing importance under Mikel Arteta.

The Spanish goalkeeper has agreed new terms that increase his salary from the deal he signed when his permanent transfer from Brentford was completed in the summer of 2024. Although the club have yet to make a formal announcement, the agreement was finalised earlier this summer.

Raya’s new deal keeps him at the Emirates Stadium until 2028, with an option for a further year. The length of the contract remains unchanged, but his pay rise rewards his consistency and influence as one of the best-performing goalkeepers in the Premier League.

It follows a similar move earlier this year when Leandro Trossard also received an improved contract without an extension to his existing 2027 deal. Arsenal are understood to have taken the same low-profile approach with both agreements.

Since arriving from Brentford in 2023, initially on loan, Raya has become one of Arsenal’s most dependable players. He won the Premier League Golden Glove award in 2023-24 and retained it last season, sharing the honour with Nottingham Forest’s Mats Sels.

Raya’s record stands out among his peers. He has missed only six league matches since joining Arsenal and has featured in every Premier League minute since March 2024. In that period, he has kept 33 clean sheets – six more than any other goalkeeper in the competition.

His shot-stopping, once considered a potential weakness, has also improved markedly. His save ratio of 71% ranks among the top four first-choice goalkeepers in the Premier League since the start of the 2023-24 campaign.

Raya also concedes less frequently than any other goalkeeper in England’s top flight, letting in one goal every 114 minutes on average. Only Ederson and Alisson come close to that benchmark.

The 29-year-old’s calm distribution, aerial command, and positional awareness have made him integral to Arsenal’s playing style, and his influence has grown alongside the club’s recent success.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are working to secure the futures of several other key players. Talks have begun with Jurrien Timber over a new long-term deal, while Bukayo Saka’s renewal discussions are said to be at an advanced stage.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have already committed their futures to the club, signing extensions in recent months as Arsenal continue to reinforce the core of Arteta’s project.