Former Premier League goalkeeper David James thinks Mikel Arteta’s decision to sign David Raya will only be justified if he can lead Arsenal to the title.
Arsenal already had Aaron Ramsdale, but that did not stop Arteta from bringing in David Raya, a transfer James recently spoke about on Sky Sports News (07/09/2023 at 10:31am).
What has David James said about Arsenal’s goalkeeper situation?
If Arsenal go on to claim the Premier League crown, James thinks most people will have no complaints about Arteta’s decision to sign Raya on loan. “If Arsenal win the league, it works,” the former Liverpool player said.
He later went on to add: “From Mikel Arteta’s point of view and Arsenal’s point of view, if they win the title, win the Champions League or whatever, then it’s the right decision. It might upset one or two people, i.e. the goalkeepers, but in the end, it’s about Arsenal winning trophies.”
Ramsdale is still currently Arsenal’s No.1, starting all four of their Premier League games so far this season. However, there has been talk that Arteta is now considering giving Raya a run in the side.
According to the Daily Mail, the Spaniard is weighing up handing his signing an opportunity in the first team.
Mikel Arteta needs Arsenal to have a successful season
Arsenal were great in the last campaign, finishing just behind Manchester City in second.
However, since then, Arteta has made some big changes to his squad, bringing in the likes of Raya and Kai Havertz.
The Gunners already had a capable No.1 in Ramsdale, while Havertz is yet to get going at the Emirates, failing to score a goal or provide an assist in his first four games for his new club.
Ultimately, given how well things went for Arsenal last season, questions are going to be asked of Arteta if Raya and Havertz end up impacting the north London club in a negative way. Fans will be questioning if they really needed to sign the duo.
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