Who should Arsenal target between David Raya and Freddie Woodman?
After the departure of Emi Martinez last summer, Arsenal’s reported preference has been to sign a back-up goalkeeper who is homegrown.
The Gunners were linked with Brentford’s David Raya and Swansea City’s Freddie Woodman last summer. Although, at the end, nothing materialized, their interest in the two goalkeepers is still believed to be strong.
Raya and Woodman fought it out at the Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening in the Championship play-off final. Raya’s team eventually got the better of Woodman’s. And that might mean Arsenal’s long-term interest in the Spaniard might be over.
When the Gunners were chasing the Brentford man in the previous summer shop window, they made multiple bids for the 25-year-old. But he was convinced by the Bees to remain at West London for a further year. The Spaniard agreed to stay by signing a contract extension that involved a nominal release clause.
However, that became invalid when Brentford got promoted to the Premier League, as was reported by The Athletic. So, any deal for the Brentford shot-stopper looks unlikely.
But they might open talks if they are determined to add Raya into their ranks.
The 25-year-old has played over 180 matches for Blackburn Rovers and Brentford. Thus, he is not short of experience at the lower levels of English football. The Spanish shot-stopper has a Save Percentage of 74.2. In the 42 matches he has played in the Championship this term, the goalkeeper has conceded just 0.86 goals per 90 minutes.
On the other end of the spectrum, Freddie Woodman has played less first-team games than his counter-part. But he does boast a playing career at a number of clubs.
Thus, he deserves some credit to adapting to new challenges every now and then.
The Englishman had loan spells at Crawley Town, Kilmarnock, Aberdeen and Swansea. In the current campaign, the 24-year-old has a Save Percentage of 72.7. The goalkeeper, who is on-loan from Premier League side Newcastle United, has conceded 0.84 goals per 90.
Woodman is a taller as well as a younger option. And with Brentford getting promoted to the Premier League, Arsenal chase for David Raya might turn to be an uphill task
Both goalkeepers are young and have massive potential. Many arguments can be made in favour of signing either one of them, as a back-up option to Bernd Leno.
Who do you want Arsenal to buy?