Arsenal strike covert deal as summer signing confirms exit plan | Football | Sport
A new lucrative contract for David Raya, concluded this summer, has been revealed. The duration of the agreement remains the same, but he obtained a substantial salary increase during the closed season in recognition of a few impressive seasons in the Emirates.
He first joined Brentford with a loan of a season in 2023 before seeing Aaron Ramsdale, now deceased, as the first choice and to make his move permanent. There was no official announcement from the club, and none is expected, since the duration of his initial contract has not changed.
The Gunners are considering a decision in Wembley
Arsenal could temporarily move to Wembley if its Emirates Stadium enlargement projects are approved. The request for tickets is currently exceeding the supply, with around 100,000 fans on the subscription waiting list.
The Stade des Gunners currently hosts 60,700 spectators, making it the fifth largest club stadium in the country and the third in London, behind Tottenham and West Ham, which have slightly larger rooms.
However, due to the rail lines surrounding the stadium, an expansion to the outside is not achievable. Instead, the club plans to strengthen the stands to accommodate thousands of additional seats.
This complex work, estimated at around 500 million pounds sterling, would require a temporary move for the Gunners, Wembley being appointed as a provisional basis, as Tottenham did during the construction of their stadium.
The summer recruit Christian Norgaard, who joined Arsenal from Brentford to a direct replacement of Thomas Partey on a two -year contract, has already planned his next move.
Unrelated to his lack of playing time, Norgaard revealed where he saw his playing career ending, and it was not with the Gunners. He declared the Danish title Bold: “Whether two or three years at Arsenal was not decided, but we will return to Denmark at the expiration of the contract. I can guarantee that Arsenal will be my last club abroad. I still want to return to Brondby after my contract with Arsenal.”
Norgaard, who has played only two games this season, retains close ties with the Danish club, where he played more than 100 games between 2013 and 2018 before joining Fiorentina and Brentford.