Peter Schmeichel claims Arsenal would be ‘nowhere near the title’ without £27m signing

According to a report by Metro on Monday, October 19, 2026, former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has highlighted David Raya’s importance to Arsenal’s Premier League triumph last season, arguing that the Gunners would have stood little chance of winning the title without the Spaniard’s outstanding performances.

Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League crown last season, finishing seven points ahead of Manchester City. The north London club also reached the Champions League final and recorded an impressive defensive record, conceding just 27 goals across their 38 league matches.

Raya was instrumental in that success, producing several important saves and establishing himself as one of the most reliable goalkeepers in European football since arriving at the Emirates Stadium in 2024.

However, Schmeichel admitted that he was initially surprised by Arteta’s decision to bring in the Spanish goalkeeper, having previously been impressed by Aaron Ramsdale’s performances between the posts for Arsenal.

Speaking on The Overlap Daily, the former Denmark international acknowledged Raya’s impressive development and credited Arteta for making the decision to strengthen his goalkeeping options.

“David Raya has done really well,” Schmeichel said.

“I have to give Mikel Arteta some credit, because when Aaron Ramsdale was playing for Arsenal, I thought he did really well.”

Schmeichel explained that Ramsdale’s aggressive approach and willingness to rush off his line had caught his attention, making Arsenal’s decision to recruit another goalkeeper somewhat unexpected.

“I liked his aggression, flying out and all of that, so I was surprised they brought another goalkeeper in, and that it was him [Raya].”

Nevertheless, Raya’s subsequent performances convinced Schmeichel that Arteta had made the right decision. The former Manchester United star was particularly impressed by the goalkeeper’s contribution during Arsenal’s championship-winning campaign.

Reflecting on a conversation with Raya last season, Schmeichel delivered a strong assessment of the Spaniard’s influence on the title race.

“But I interviewed him last season when they won the championship, and I said, ‘Just so you know, if you had not been in that goal, you would have been nowhere near the championship.’”

Beyond his shot-stopping ability, Schmeichel also praised Raya’s improvement in dealing with crosses, identifying it as an important area in which the Arsenal goalkeeper has developed.

“One of the things where he has massively improved is coming for crosses,” he added.

Raya’s command of his penalty area, distribution and ability to make decisive interventions have helped strengthen Arsenal’s defensive structure. His presence has also been valuable when Arteta’s attacking system leaves the team vulnerable to counter-attacks, making his decision-making and positioning particularly important.

Arsenal have maintained their strong defensive standards in the current campaign, winning six of their opening seven Premier League matches and conceding just five goals.

With the Gunners aiming to defend their league crown, Raya’s consistency could once again prove decisive. Arsenal now face a demanding Champions League trip to Bayern Munich, where the Spanish international will be expected to play an important role as Arteta’s side pursue further success in Europe.

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