Raya admits he had to adapt fast and reveals turning point in the season

David Raya was a surprising signing for most Arsenal supporters and neutrals because there was almost no suggestion that Aaron Ramsdale was not good enough for the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta had wanted to sign Raya before Brentford even gained promotion to the Premier League, and the Gunners’ manager reignited his interest in him last summer.

Arsenal finally got their man, even though he only joined them on an initial loan deal.

Raya faced opposition from Arsenal supporters, pundits, and even former players who did not see a good reason why he should replace Ramsdale in goal.

However, the Gunners have now benefited from having Raya in goal, as they nearly won the league and kept the most clean sheets in the division this season.

The Spaniard spoke to the Daily Mail about his adaptation period and said:

‘I had to adapt very quickly.

‘I didn’t have a pre-season with the club. It was new team-mates, new standards, new fans.

‘The situation with Aaron was a big one. He is a great goalie and a great character for the team and for the fans. I knew what was going to happen if I started playing. The noise was only going to happen.

‘I had to adapt quickly. The turning point was the break we had in Dubai in January. I had the time to reconnect and take a breather from everything that was happening. There have been lows and a lot of highs. I have had to learn from my mistakes and understand what we can all do better.’

Just Arsenal Opinion

Raya has emerged as one of our best players in this campaign and the Spaniard has earned all the support we had for Ramsdale.