There is a sense at Arsenal that David Raya is emerging as Mikel Arteta’s preferred option in goal ahead of Aaron Ramsdale.
That is according to Daily Mail journalist Sami Mokbel, who notes that rival clubs were put on alert about Ramsdale’s situation the moment the Spaniard arrived in the summer.
David Raya got the chance to make his Arsenal debut on Sunday as the Gunners faced Everton at Goodison Park. He was a surprise summer signing given that Aaron Ramsdale has been the undisputed number one for almost two years following his £30 million move.
Mikel Arteta was obviously not entirely content with what he was getting from his goalkeepers. Nevertheless, it still came as a surprise that Ramsdale dropped down to the bench against Everton having seemingly done very little wrong in the first few weeks of the season.
Raya emerging as Arteta’s preferred option at Arsenal
Arsenal are set to compete on three fronts during the first-half of the campaign. So both goalkeepers are likely to get a number of chances.
Nevertheless, Mokbel has suggested that there is a feeling that Raya is on his way to pushing ahead of Ramsdale permanently in the pecking order.
“Mikel Arteta can be ruthless, but that must surely be a factor for the Gunners. Moving forward, however, there is an emerging sense that Raya is moving towards being Arteta’s preferred option,” he told the Daily Mail.
“The very fact that Raya was signed from Brentford has put rival clubs on alert. Ramsdale is a fantastic keeper, if he may be available teams would be silly not to at least keep abreast of that situation.”
Of course, Ramsdale is likely to get opportunities to win his place back – if he is soon going to be seen as the number two at the Emirates.
Raya is an outstanding goalkeeper. But there is arguably not the kind of gulf between the two which would allow either to leave the other behind.
What is going to be tricky is managing the two when one makes a mistake. He surely cannot drop one as soon as they make a single error. But at the same time, he cannot allow either to hold the team back if their form does dip.
It appears that it is Raya’s position to lose now. But there may well be plenty of twists to come over the coming months.
The post 'An emerging sense': Arteta's now really starting to prefer Arsenal player over £30m teammate – journalist appeared first on The Boot Room.
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