Kepa Arrizabalaga has explained why Arsenal teammate deserves to win the Yashin Trophy at this year's Ballon d'Or celebration
David Raya has been backed to win the Yashin Trophy by Arsenal teammate Kepa Arrizabalaga
David Raya has been backed to win the Yashin Trophy by Arsenal teammate Kepa Arrizabalaga(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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David Raya has been backed to win the Yashin Trophy by Arsenal teammate Kepa Arrizabalaga after three back-to-back Golden Gloves and a Premier League title to his name.
Raya has been nominated for the award set to be presented alongside the Ballon d’Or on October 26 in London.
Raya has claimed three clean sheets from the first five games of the new league season as he chases a record-equalling fourth Golden Glove, and his teammate Arrizabalaga believes he should be considered to claim victory here.
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“I see all the work he puts in every day,” the former Chelsea keeper said. “He has shown over the last three to four years at Arsenal how consistent he is.
“The Golden Gloves, the crucial saves, how important he is for the team. He should be in the conversation to win it.”
Raya will be in competition with nine other keepers, including Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois and two fellow Spaniards, Barcelona’s Joan Garcia and Athletic Club's Unai Simón.
Raya managed to keep 19 clean sheets as Arsenal won the Premier League trophy, the most anyone has kept in a single campaign since Ederson and Alisson in 2021-22, with 20.
Arrizabalaga believes these achievements, alongside reaching the final of the UEFA Champions League, in which he produced the only save in the penalty shootout from Nuno Mendes, despite his teammates failing to take advantage.
“He’s always focused, he knows his strengths, he knows everything about the team in front of him, he is calm, confident, and to be at the level he is at, you have to have all of these qualities,” Arrizabalaga said.
“I think what with the last season that he had: winning the Premier League, winning the Golden Glove again, and being very close to winning the Champions League. Big things like that are not easy to achieve.