David Raya is viewed among the best goalkeepers on the planet after a meteoric rise towards the top of European football during his two seasons with Arsenal. The Spanish shot-stopper has been incredible since making an initial loan move from Brentford, which was then made permanent in the summer.
His quick feet and cat-like reflexes were enough to convince Mikel Arteta that Raya was good enough to dislodge Aaron Ramsdale in the Gunners' goal. Not only that, but there was enough confidence that the 29-year-old could be the number one for a team with aspirations of lifting both the Champions League and Premier League.
While the latter won't be possible until next year at the earliest, the north London outfit are still in with a chance of winning the top European prize this term. A lot of thanks can go to the man between the sticks. In a recent interview with ex-Premier League 'keeper Ben Foster for Amazon Prime, Raya listed the top three players in his position at the moment, in his opinion.
David Raya's Top 3 Goalkeepers
Alisson Becker
The goalkeeper Raya waxed lyrical about the most is Premier League rival Alisson. Liverpool's number one has consistently been viewed as the best 'keeper in the English top-flight since arriving at Anfield from AS Roma in 2018.
alisson becker Related
50 Best Goalkeepers in World Football Ranked by New Study
Real Madrid and Belgium shot stopper Thibaut Courtois misses out on the top spot - but who picked up the gold medal?
Now a two-time Premier League champion, the Brazil international has also won the competition's Golden Glove award. Speaking in glowing terms about his peer, Raya told Foster:
"One v ones. He saves everything, I don't know how he does it. He saves every single one-on-one.
"How can he be so good at one v ones? He reads those situations so well. The way he reads things is incredible."
Thibaut Courtois
The biggest rival to Alisson's throne as the best goalie in world football is Real Madrid and Belgium star Thibaut Courtois. Ever since emerging as a promising shot-stopper during a loan spell at Atletico Madrid, the 32-year-old has been earmarked as one of the top players in his position.
Having won the Premier League, La Liga and Champions League multiple times, he is seen as the closest in ability and stature to Liverpool's number one. Raya shares this view as Courtois was the second name out of his mouth.
Ben Foster Related
Ben Foster Named His Five Greatest English Goalkeepers of All Time
The former Premier League keeper has opened up who he believes are the five greatest English goalkeepers of all time.
Gregor Kobel
Raya definitely saved the most surprising name to the end as the third and final name he mentioned was that of Borussia Dortmund's first-choice Gregor Kobel. The Swiss stopper has been unfortunate to be behind another talented glovesman at international level in the form of Yann Sommer.
However, the 27-year-old has been a consistent force at Signal Iduna Park and particularly impressed during the German club's run to the Champions League final in the 2023/24 season. Raya picked Kobel as one of the three best goalkeepers around, stating: "I really, really like Kobel from Dortmund."
Watch the full clip (around 20:10 onwards):
Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 03-05-25.