Arteta reveals criticism for Ramsdale-Raya change at Arsenal

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s coach, revealed that he anticipated a negative reaction in England when deciding to replace Aaron Ramsdale with David Raya, who is preparing for his 100th match with the Gunners. Ramsdale, who arrived at Arsenal in 2021 and proved his worth, even winning the Goalkeeper of the Year award at the London Football Awards two years later, was replaced by Raya. The Spanish goalkeeper initially arrived on loan from Brentford in 2023, and then his signing was made permanent. Ramsdale subsequently moved to Southampton, while Raya has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, accumulating 41 clean sheets in 99 matches and winning the division’s Golden Glove in consecutive seasons.

His record is incredible. I was criticized when I brought him. It’s good to understand the game, especially with the passing of months or years. It’s very good to look back and reflect on that.

Mikel Arteta

Arteta explained that he was aware of the reaction that this decision would generate. “I knew this country and I knew what I was doing. I understood the context. If he had been a Serbian player, the conversation would have been different, without a doubt.” “He was someone very loved, a special character and an England international. That had many ingredients to become a great debate,” Arteta added.

Raya’s ability to play from defense was considered a key characteristic, although the Spaniard had to overcome a difficult period in which many Arsenal fans expressed their nervousness about his distribution in his early days at the Emirates Stadium. Arteta added that Raya showed “courage” to face the situation. “We believed he was the right goalkeeper to give us something more as a team.”