Arsenal is reportedly preparing a surprise bid to sign David Raya from Brentford. This comes after Bayern Munich’s loan offer for the Spanish goalkeeper was rejected by Brentford. Raya’s contract with Brentford is set to expire next summer, and the club has set his asking price at around £40m. Earlier in the summer, Tottenham decided not to pursue a move for Raya. However, Arsenal has now expressed interest in signing him to compete with Aaron Ramsdale for a starting spot.
It is expected that Arsenal will submit a formal offer in an attempt to test Brentford’s resolve. Raya is believed to prefer a move to north London over joining Bayern Munich. The German champions are looking to provide cover for Manuel Neuer, who is still recovering from a leg injury sustained in a skiing accident. Raya was identified as their primary target, but Brentford rejected Bayern’s loan offer, and negotiations are currently on hold.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Raya continues to train with the Brentford squad on their pre-season tour of the US. In May, Brentford signed Dutch international Mark Flekken from Freiburg to be their new No. 1 goalkeeper.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank has acknowledged that Raya may want to leave if a good opportunity arises, but he has not yet decided whether he will include Raya in the squad for the game against Aston Villa. Frank praised Raya’s professionalism and dedication to training.
In other news, Sadio Mané is set to leave Bayern Munich for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. The 31-year-old joined Bayern from Liverpool last summer for £35m. He is expected to complete his medical in Dubai before finalizing the transfer. Bayern left Mané out of their friendly match against Kawasaki Frontale in Tokyo as he held contract talks with Al-Nassr.
These developments highlight the ongoing transfer activities as clubs continue to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season.
