David Raya has spent his entire senior career in England, climbing the football pyramid and becoming a Premier League champion.
David Raya of Arsenal gesture during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England
David Raya during Arsenal's clash against Sunderland.(Image: Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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David Raya has revealed that he would 'love to play' in La Liga one day. The 31-year-old goalkeeper, whom Arsenal signed from Brentford on an initial loan in August 2023, before wrapping a permanent deal worth £27million the following summer, has recently entered the final two years of his stay at the Emirates Stadium, casting an element of doubt over his future.
During an interview with Spanish outlet Marca ahead of the Gunners' clash against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, Raya was quizzed on his future in north London. When asked whether he would one day consider returning to his homeland, as quoted by Sport Witness, he said: "Yes, I’d love to, I’d love to experience La Liga.
"For now, I’m very happy here, but I would definitely like to try playing in the Spanish league. I think it’s a very competitive league.
"Perhaps, in the future, I could play for a Spanish club. I’m Spanish, and naturally, I’d love to play there."
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The interviewer then told Raya, white 'suits you well', referencing Real Madrid, to which he laughed off. The Spain international then outlined his targets for the season, setting his sights on some European silverware.
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Raya added: "To win everything. We want to establish ourselves as favourites, that’s our objective. Hopefully, we can improve on last season by lifting the Champions League trophy, though there’s still a long way to go for that."
The Spaniard has featured 157 times across all competitions for Arsenal in three years, conceding just 117 goals and keeping 73 clean sheets. He has played a key role in Mikel Arteta's side since joining, helping the Gunners win the Premier League for the first time in over 20 years.
Although Raya has played as Unai Simon's understudy for La Roja, he's helped his country win the World Cup, the Euros, and the Nations League. Unlike many of his international teammates, he's spent the entirety of his senior career in England.
Back in July 2012, Raya left Cornella, a third-tier club from Catalonia, to join Blackburn Rovers, where he would later sign his first professional contract.
The shot-stopper eventually earned a move to Brentford and helped them get promoted to the English top flight. He held his own in the Premier League for a couple of seasons before catching the eye of Arteta.
Raya hasn't looked back since, establishing himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. On Monday night, he hopes to win the Yashin Trophy at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in London.
Thibaut Courtois, who has less than a year left on his contract at Real Madrid, Emi Martinez, the reigning holder, and his two international teammates, Simon and Joao Garcia, among several others, are also up for the award.