The move saw Ramsdale end his trip to north London, with the Spaniard taking his place as the Gunners’ number one.

Since then, Raya and Arsenal haven’t looked backwith the former Brentford goalkeeper proving to be an Arteta transfer masterstroke.

David Raya disputes demand for matches from players

Like the Arsenal team arrives on international mission, Raya has put aside his N5 project as he continues to fight to become the Spanish number one.

While on international duty with the European champions, the goalkeeper sat down in an interview with El Desmarquewhere he spoke about the demand on players amid an increase in the number of matches.

“We know that the calendar is what it is, it is very congested for the teams playing in all competitions, with now also a Club World Cup in the summer,” explained Raya.

The Gunners star then admitted he was somewhat happy that Arsenal were not taking part in the FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament of champions from around the world.

“At least Arsenal aren’t playing there, but the risk of injury is greater. We players have talked a lot about this topic and the union, in our case the PFA, needs to get involved.

“We are with them, they will help us as much as possible, but we know it will not happen overnight. People need to understand that we are people, we are not robots and that an injury can change our lives.

Raya was commenting on the influx of injuries and the strain extra matches put on players, referring to his national teammate. Rodri’s season-ending ACL blow.

Arsenal suffer from first team injuries

Raya’s concerns are impossible to ignore, with Arteta seeing first-hand the impact of increased demand on players.

So far, Arsenal suffered numerous injuries in the 2024/25 calendar, the manager rarely having his entire first team.

Players do what they can to get involved, with Declan Rice plays with painkillers against Chelsea while nursing a broken foot.

It’s a real concern for those on the ground who bring us so much joy, which led Raya to speak out on the subject while she was on an international mission.

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