David Raya, a custodian, has a little strange tattoo that might cause some people to wonder as he nears a summer transfer to Arsenal.
What has changed since David Raya joined Arsenal?
The Gunners are nearing a deal for a deal for a different option between the sticks despite already having Aaron Ramsdale as the club’s top shot-stopper and only granting him a new contract back in May that goes until 2026 with the option of a further year.
Indeed, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the most recent information is that Raya of Brentford has “completed” the primary portion of medical testing at London Colney and will thereafter sign soon.
Financially, it’s anticipated that the Spaniard would sign for an initial loan price of £3 million, with the option to make the move permanent for an additional £27 million next summer (via The Athletic).
Given that backup custodian Matt Turner just transferred to Nottingham Forest for a rumoured £10 million transfer price, Mikel Arteta and company appear to have done well with this deal.
Raya’s tattoo, which interestingly makes reference to a match he once played against Arsenal, may not sit well with many supporters.
What is the tattoo on David Raya?
The custodian has a tattoo honouring his Premier League debut on the back of his neck, as shown in the picture below.
A date—”13-08-21″—the 13th of August 2021—is inked on the body. Unfortunately for Arsenal, this was also the day of their infamous away trip to face newly promoted Brentford on the first day of the Premier League, where they were comprehensively defeated 2-0 and Raya kept a clean sheet.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Willian, and Alex Runarsson were all abruptly ruled out of the game before it began for the Gunners due to a slew of positive Covid tests, leaving manager Arteta perplexed as to why the match was postponed.
However, the North London team ended up having a terrible night, and the Bees made the most of it. In his match report for the BBC, journalist Phil McNulty succinctly put it this way: “Brentford celebrated their return to the top tier after a 74-year absence with a memorable, magnificent victory over woeful Arsenal as they opened their Premier League campaign in style.”
Since this was Raya’s first game in the English top division and his team won so easily, it makes sense that he would want to get a tattoo to mark the occasion.
While Arteta was in charge, this was a particularly low time, and neither Arsenal players nor fans will want to be reminded of it whenever the camera pans to their new custodian.
However, this minor matter will probably be overlooked as long as the 27-year-old can deliver some excellent performances for the team, perhaps even unseating Ramsdale for the number one jersey.
Now that Arteta has two first-team quality goalkeepers to choose from each week, it will be interesting to see how frequently Raya plays throughout the season.
