Arsenal were planning to sign Brentford’s 25-year-old keeper David Raya during the January transfer window but now it seems the Premier League side are going to miss out, according to The Sun.
The report claims: “ARSENAL are ready to ditch calamity goalkeeper Alex Runarsson after just four months at the Emirates if they can sign a replacement during the January transfer.
“But renewed efforts to lure David Raya from Brentford are unlikely to succeed after the Spaniard signed a new Bees contract in October.
“Raya remains their top target after being personally recommended to Arteta by goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana, who worked with the Spaniard at Brentford before joining Arsenal last year.”
Should Arsenal hold onto Alex Runarsson?
David Raya has been at the top of his game for Brentford in the Championship this season, keeping seven clean sheets in 18 league matches so far.
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But Brentford are in no hurry to part ways with the Spaniard this month since his current deal at the club expires in the summer of 2024.
So either the Arsenal boss tries to find a new goalkeeper during the course of the next few weeks or the club will have to shelf their plans of letting Runarrsson move out on loan.
The Iceland international is currently the only backup to first-choice keeper Bernd Leno and there’s no way Arsenal will send him out for the remainder of the season if they cannot bring in an apt replacement in time.
By the looks of it, Mikel Arteta will have no other option but to stick with Alex Runarsson for the rest of the campaign and then try to make a move for David Raya during the summer.
