Arsenal have informed David Raya they intend to activate the \u00a327m purchase clause inserted into their loan agreement with Brentford,\u00a0<\/strong>90min<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0understands.<\/strong><\/p>\n Raya was determined to leave the Bees during the summer 2023\u00a0transfer\u00a0window after four years of service in west London, citing a desire to compete for titles and in Europe.<\/p>\n He was a key target for Tottenham Hotspur upon Ange Postecoglou\u2019s appointment as head coach, but they were unable to agree a fee with Brentford and instead signed Guglielmo Vicario.<\/p>\n Bayern Munich then entered the race for Raya but they too were reluctant to meet Brentford\u2019s demands, while the Spaniard\u2019s agent has also confirmed\u00a0Chelsea and Manchester United registered an initial interest\u00a0in their respective searches for new goalkeepers.<\/p>\n After they were unable to sign Raya in 2020,\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0pushed ahead with a move again this summer. They reached an agreement worth \u00a330m in total with Brentford, though the deal was structured in a way to help the Gunners meet Financial Fair Play regulations, with Raya joining on loan with an option to buy.<\/p>\n Arteta intends to keep Raya \/ Marc Atkins\/GettyImages<\/p>\n Sources have confirmed to\u00a090min<\/em>\u00a0that, as has long been expected, Arsenal will trigger this clause and Raya will become a permanent member of Mikel Arteta\u2019s playing squad.<\/p>\n Brentford have maintained an open dialogue with Arsenal since Raya made the switch to the Emirates Stadium and they too believed a transfer would go through eventually. Raya\u2019s contract at the Gtech Community Stadium was set to expire in 2024, and though he signed a one-year extension before leaving on this loan, there was no expectation he would return to the Bees.<\/p>\n 90min<\/em>\u00a0understands Arsenal are likely activate this clause next summer, but there is a possibility of it being triggered beforehand. However, with the Gunners looking to bring in a new midfielder and perhaps a forward in January, they can afford to wait.<\/p>\n Raya initially served as Aaron Ramsdale\u2019s understudy but has played every Premier League and Champions League game for Arsenal since the conclusion of the September international break.<\/p>\n Ramdale\u2019s relegation to the bench was seen as controversial in some corners of the media and has only been complicated by Raya\u2019s poor run of form to begin his Arsenal career.<\/p>\n The England international has a chance to stake a claim for the starting spot again when Arsenal travel to\u00a0Brentford\u00a0in the Premier League on Saturday evening, with Raya ineligible to face his parent club.<\/p>\n
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