Arteta jokes Raya can play in Spain 'on the beach' in the summer
David Raya has admitted he would love to test himself in La Liga one day, but Mikel Arteta has made it clear the Arsenal goalkeeper will not be going anywhere for the foreseeable future.
Speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca, Raya was asked whether he had any ambition to play in his homeland having spent his entire professional career in England. The Spain international did not hold back.
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"Yes, I would love to. I would love to try out La Liga," Raya said. "For now, I'm very happy here [at Arsenal], but I would certainly like to experience the Spanish league. I think it's a very competitive league. Perhaps, in the future, I could play for a Spanish club. I'm Spanish and I'd love to play there, that's for sure."
Raya was born in Catalonia before moving to Lancashire with Blackburn Rovers on scholarship terms at the age of 16. He made 98 appearances for Rovers' first team following a loan spell at Non-League Southport, before joining Brentford in 2019.
Arteta's response
Asked about Raya's comments, Arteta offered a light hearted but firm response, making it clear there is no prospect of an imminent departure.
"I think David has to play in Spain at some point, on the beach with his friends in the summer, but for the next few years he needs to play here for Arsenal," Arteta said.
Raya is under contract at Arsenal until 2028 and has become one of the club's most important players since arriving from Brentford in a deal worth £27million, initially on loan before being made permanent. He won the battle to be first choice goalkeeper ahead of Aaron Ramsdale and played a key role as Arsenal won their first Premier League title in 22 years last season, as well as reaching the Champions League final in Budapest.
His form has also been recognised individually. Raya has been nominated for the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the best goalkeeper in the world, and is expected to attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London on Monday. He was also part of Spain's World Cup winning squad in North America, though he did not feature on the pitch.
Crediting his coach
Speaking separately to the Beyond The Box Podcast, Raya reflected on his development, crediting former Blackburn goalkeeping coach John Keeley for giving him his chance.
"I don't know what, but he saw something in me since the first day," Raya said. "He took me to Portugal with the first team when I was 17, for no reason. I think he saw something in me that not all the people saw. He put a lot of work into me, and he was one of the reasons I went on loan, why I made my debut, why I started the following season as number one. He believed in me and I always have a lot to thank him for. Without him, I don't think I would have made my debut."
With three years still remaining on his contract, Raya's long term future appears firmly tied to Arsenal, even as his eyes drift occasionally toward a return to Spanish football down the line.
