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‘Magnificent’… David Raya has been so impressed by 25-year-old Arsenal teammate

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David Raya has opened up on what his relationship with Aaron Ramsdale is actually like, as he lauded his Arsenal teammate for the form he showed last season.

Of all the gambles Mikel Arteta has taken during his time as Arsenal boss, the decision to sign David Raya is potentially one of the only ones yet to pay off.

Aaron Ramsdale appeared to do little wrong during his time as number one. Nevertheless, he lost his place earlier this season, only coming back in for a couple of games since.

David Raya praises Aaron Ramsdale

Raya however, has not been able to really justify the change. According to FBRef, only seven goalkeepers are performing worse against their expected goals conceded than the Spaniard.

Arsenal Aaron Ramsdale
Photo by Fantasista/Getty Images

With that, some may be expecting there to be a tricky relationship between Raya and Ramsdale. However, the summer signing has told Arsenal’s official website that they get on extremely well, with the England international really impressing him.

“It’s a big thing when another goalie comes to a club,” he said. “Aaron had a magnificent season last year so I’m just here to help the team to win the games when the gaffer puts me in.

“My relationship with Aaron is really good. We’re teammates and try to make each other better in every single session. We don’t try to hear what the outside world is saying, just focus on the team.”

Arsenal goalkeeper may have expected warning new signing was coming in

There have been reports that Ramsdale has continued to train really well. And the 25-year-old deserves enormous credit for doing so given how much it must have hurt to lose his place as number one.

Of course, every player should be pushed and should not be allowed to grow complacent. But Ramsdale must have gone into the summer believing that his number one position was pretty solid.

Not only did he produce some big performances last season, perhaps most notably away at Liverpool, but he also signed a new contract towards the end of the campaign.

When he signed that new deal, it is hard to imagine that he would have had any idea about a new number one coming in during the summer.

So it cannot have been easy to work alongside Raya this season. But the pair are clearly determined to push each other.