09 August 2023 , 21:13
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Arsenal will complete their fourth signing this summer after reaching an agreement with Brentford over goalkeeper David Raya.
Arsenal had been expected to sign Raya permanently for a fee of around £30m, but the Gunners have reached a slightly different agreement to sign him.
Instead, the North London club will now be signing Raya on loan with an option to buy. The deal will see them pay an initial £3m loan fee and they would then be able to make his move permanent next summer for £27m should they wish.
However, that is only an option rather than an obligation and Brentford have agreed a contract extension with Raya in case Arsenal do not activate it. The 27-year-old had entered the final year of his contract with the Bees. He is now set to undergo a medical with Arsenal on Thursday.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is keen to bring in Raya to provide competition for Aaron Ramsdale. Arteta's trusted goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana is a big fan of the stopper, having previously worked with him at Brentford, and Raya has previously hailed the impact he had on his career.
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"He [Cana] helped me loads," Raya said in 2021. "He's a completely different character on the pitch, he's very hardworking, very tough, and I think every goalkeeper who's worked from him will tell you the same. You learn a lot, he puts you on your toes all the time, and he never lets you go down a level."
The Gunners will need to register him by 12pm on Friday if he is to be eligible for their Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. As a result, Arsenal are saving money they could then use to make other signings this summer.
David Raya has agreed to join Arsenal from Brentford (CameraSport via Getty Images)And they have already cleared the way for Raya's arrival after backup goalkeeper Matt Turner made a £10m switch to Forest.
"On behalf of everyone at the club, we would like to thank Matt for his contribution to Arsenal and wish him and his family all the best in their new chapter," the club's sporting director Edu said after Turner's exit was confirmed. "Matt is an international goalkeeper with the United States and is at a stage of his career when he needs to be playing regularly. He is leaving with our best wishes to join Nottingham Forest."
Turner added: "When I heard that there was interest to bring me here, it just felt right for my family, it felt right when my agent spoke to me about it and it feels like the right move for me right now. The manager and the backroom staff, everything about the club has a little sparkle to it."