David Raya Opens Up About His Connection with Aaron Ramsdale

Arsenal’s primary goalkeeper, David Raya, recently shared insights about his camaraderie with the team’s backup goalie, Aaron Ramsdale.

The Spaniard joined the Gunners during the 2023 summer transfer window on loan from Brentford until the end of the current season. David Raya came into the team as a second-choice goalkeeper but gradually broke into the first team to take the club’s number one spot.

Raya revealed his relationship with Aaron Ramsdale in an interview with the Athletic. According to him, they are both on good terms, but that does not take away the competition between them when it comes to who starts ahead of the other.

“The relationship? It’s very good. At the end of the day, we are mates, which is the important thing. We have a very healthy relationship. There are no problems. We push each other every day in training: when he’s a little bit down, I push him, and when I’m a little bit down (he does the same). We train three goalkeepers, four at the most, for hours a week, and you need that kind of relationship because otherwise, the training is not going to go well. I don’t like to look to the future, I like to look at the day-to-day but the perfect end would be to win a title with Arsenal, to be called up to the national team for the European Championship, and to have a good tournament.”

Ramsdale was initially picked ahead of Raya at the beginning of this season, starting the games against Crystal Palace and Manchester United, as well as the draw with Fulham. However, the ties shifted after the international break, and Raya was selected by Mikel Arteta for all of Arsenal’s four top-flight fixtures plus Arsenal’s first two Champions League matches.

It is yet to be seen if Arteta will continue with his choice of Raya ahead of Ramsdale.