Ramsdale’s three Arsenal seasons are almost up but Arteta’s Raya plan still comes as a shock

Aaron Ramsdale has played a big part in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal revolution but the looming spectre of David Raya continues an Emirates goalkeeper trend.

In a very surprising development, Arsenal are set to make a bid for Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.

While there is little doubt Raya is a very good keeper and probably an upgrade on current No.1 Aaron Ramsdale, it is a shock considering Mikel Arteta has placed a lot of faith in the England stopper since signing him for £30million in the summer of 2021.

Plenty of eyebrows were raised when that deal happened, considering the fee and the fact Ramsdale was coming off the back of consecutive relegations with Bournemouth and Sheffield United.

He quickly displaced Bernd Leno – who subsequently departed for Fulham last summer – and became a favourite amongst the Arsenal faithful and one of the symbols of their new-look young team. A work in progress but their work in progress.

What makes the rumour even stranger is the new contract handed out to Ramsdale just 10 weeks ago, one which will see him make a reported £120k a week for the next four years.

READ MORE: Raya and Ramsdale next? Five keeper rotations for Arsenal to learn from, including an Invincible

Sure, mistakes have been made in the last two campaigns, and during pre-season against Manchester United and Barcelona, but surely a couple of years and a new contract, Arteta has made up his mind on the 25-year-old.

There is talk that Raya would not be arriving as a replacement for Ramsdale but as competition; does that add up?

Why would Raya make the move if he were not assured of a starting spot? Why would Arsenal sign another keeper for more than £30m who could possibly be sat on the bench? What other club has a freshly re-signed keeper on £120k a week sitting on the bench?

It’s also worth considering Arsenal’s goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana played a significant role in bringing his countryman from Blackburn to Brentford in 2019, and no doubt is a big factor this time around too.

If Raya does make the move to the Emirates, it is likely that Ramsdale will eventually become back-up and/or sold on before the end of the window.

This would continue a trend at Arsenal that has seen them chop and change goalkeepers at an alarming rate. With respect to an ageing Petr Cech, have they had a top-class and consistent keeper since Jens Lehmann?

And even at that, the German was as eccentric as they come and a contrast with the steady influence of David Seaman.

It is not the sole reason for Arsenal not winning the title since 2004 but it is not a complete coincidence.

Just have a look at some of the keepers to man the sticks at Highbury and the Emirates since that Invincibles season.

Manuel Almunia was signed as a deputy to Lehmann following that 13th league title win, but eventually usurped him in the 2007/08 season, one in which the Gunners fell short in the final furlong, stumbling to a third-placed finish after leading for much of the way.

Almunia never convinced and lasted just three seasons as first choice before Wojciech Szczesny took his spot, beating off competition from fellow Pole Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone, the latter a name very much one for the purists.

Szczesny had talent and certainly the confidence but is perhaps best remembered for the mix-up with Laurent Koscielny that gifted Obafemi Martins and Birmingham City a last-gasp winner in the 2011 League Cup final.

A final that Arsenal were heavily expected to win led to one of the more embarrassing days in the Arsene Wenger era and sent the club’s official Banter Era into a whole new stratosphere. Birmingham would be relegated that season just to emphasise it.

The failure to win a first trophy in seven years and the subsequent departures of Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy that summer would lead to more dark days for both Arsenal and Szczesny, who started the next season off by conceding eight at Old Trafford.

Like Almunia, the Pole would not last more than three seasons as Arsenal’s first choice, losing that role to David Ospina halfway through the 2014/15 season and then being loaned to Roma that summer, never to wear the shirt again.

READ MORE: Wenger’s rotation annoys Cech and Ospina

Most Arsenal fans likely shudder at the reminder of Ospina, who now plays for Al-Nassr because of course he does.

Luckily for them, the Colombian’s reign as No.1 was short-lived as Cech rode to the rescue ahead of the 2015/16 season, notably being the Gunners’ only signing that summer.

Having his Chelsea position taken by Thibaut Courtois, the move made sense for the then 33-year-old. Sadly, despite being the most calming influence at the back since Seaman and becoming the Premier League’s record clean sheet holder while at the Emirates, his best work had been done for the Blues.

A bit of a trend there too – see David Luiz and Willian for more information. Jorginho and Kai Havertz next?

Continuing with trends and themes, the Czech legend would be another Arsenal stopper to be stopped after three seasons, being replaced by Leno shortly into both the German keeper and Unai Emery’s first season at the club.

Cech’s final game for the club? A 4-1 loss to Chelsea in the 2019 Europa League final. He then retired and returned to Stamford Bridge as a technical advisor. Banter era 101.

Remember when Arsenal brought in 33 year old Petr Cech as their only summer signing in 2015. We were in the trenches brothers 😂😂😂😂😭😭 pic.twitter.com/UfcJNbxW3E

— 𝙂𝘼𝘽𝙀𝘼𝙎𝙏 ✍🏿 (@AfcGabeast) June 23, 2023

Leno is indeed now across London with Fulham having been replaced by Ramsdale after, you guessed it, three seasons as first choice.

He didn’t even feature in the club’s best day in that period as injury ruled him out of the 2020 FA Cup final, one which saw Emi Martinez cap off a fine Covid run in nets at the club, years after he had first appeared on the scene. Was the wrong keeper then sold? It’s hard to argue against it.

Now Ramsdale finds himself potentially in a situation like so many of his predecessors, albeit having only been first choice for a meagre two seasons.

Has Arteta looked at the last three title-winning goalkeepers – Courtois, Allison and Ederson – and deduced that Ramsdale just isn’t up to the task?

It is so rare for a team to win the league with a dodgy keeper, particularly in the Premier League. The last to do so might be Fabien Barthez in 2002/03 but even then, he was a World Cup winner.

It all just seems so out of nowhere though, given everything Arteta has said about his current keeper and the contract handed out.

Major trust has been placed in Arteta from those above him throughout his tenure in charge and signing Raya, in addition to the major money already spent, will only add to that, as well as the pressure on the Spaniard to deliver silverware next season.

Will Raya be the No.1 to put Arsenal back on top again? Trendsetter or trend continued?