“I hate it” - Ben Foster slams ‘pathetic’ Arsenal decision to sign 27-year-old
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster has slammed Arsenal's decision to sign David Raya this summer.
The Gunners brought in Aaron Ramsdale from Sheffield United in 2021 for £24 million, and he has since been their undisputed first-choice custodian. He has hardly put a foot wrong, keeping 30 clean sheets in 82 games across competitions.
However, the signing of Raya from Brentford could threaten Ramsdale's position between the sticks. The 27-year-old Spaniard arrived at the Emirates for a loan fee of £3 million with an obligation to make to make the deal permanent for £27 million next year.
Raya is yet to debut for his new club, while Ramsdale has played the full 90 minutes in all four games across competitions this season. However, the presence of the talented Spaniard in the squad means Ramsdale can never be fully assured of his starting berth.
Foster is not a fan of that, saying on his YouTube channel (h/t TheBootRoom):
"I hate it. It’s pathetic. It’s something that didn’t need to happen, right. They did not need to sign David Raya. He’s (Ramsdale) been a top goalie for two years.
"He’s on the edge of being England’s number one with Jordan Pickford. He’s right there. When he’s full of confidence and he’s got a manager putting his arm around him, he’s as good as anyone in this country."
Ramsdale, 25, has won three caps for England but his last appearance came in June 2022. He will be gunning for the starting spot in Gareth Southgate's team if they qualify for the 2024 UEFA Euros.
David Raya believes he fits right into Mikel Arteta's system at Arsenal
There would have been a good reason for Arsenal to sign David Raya from Brentford despite having Aaron Ramsdale.
The Spanish goalkeeper is adept with the ball at his feet and has an impressive passing range. He believes these qualities would help him fit into Mikel Arteta's team.
About Arteta's impact at the Emirates, the former Brentford goalkeeper told the club's website this month:
"I’ve seen Arsenal a lot for a lot of years, and since (Mikel) came, he’s made a massive difference to the style of play and to the club. The way the team plays out of the back, being confident and taking possession to the other team is the main thing why I fit into the team."
Arteta became Arsenal's manager in December 2019. His took time to get going, but the results were on display last season, when the Gunners came close to winning the league before finishing runners-up behind Manchester City by five points.