It was a busy year for David Raya, who ended 2023/24 with a Premier League Golden Glove and Euro 2024 gold medal.
"Coming here on loan and playing for this amazing club, making my debut in the Champions League, being that close to winning the league, then winning the Euros as well, I'm happy to say that I have achieved some of my dreams,” he said.
"When I came to England at 16, the only thing I wanted to do was enjoy football and enjoy the challenge. Of course, you think about stuff that you might be able to do, but I just kept giving myself targets in the short and medium term, footballing-wise.
"We have to learn from everything, from every mistake and from the good things that we have done as well, to carry on and improve them. That is what we need to do. It has been a fantastic year but we have to - and I have to - make the next one better.
"It was a relief to sign the contract for the coming years. It's a pleasure to be here, it's fantastic, with the way the club is going, the players, the staff, everyone around the club, the fans. It's amazing.
You don't know how good it is until you are inside. It's a pleasure to be here and it's a dream come true to be able to be part of this club."
Goalkeeper coach Inaki Cana has played a big role in David’s development at both Brentford and Arsenal, helping him to be ready to launch attacks in Mikel Arteta’s system.
"He has changed my style of being a goalkeeper," David said. "If you watch highlights from me when I was back at Blackburn, you will see a keeper that just stood on the line, not coming for anything, rarely going for a cross, rarely going outside the box, rarely anticipating, just waiting to make that save.
"When I signed for Brentford, Inaki just completely changed my style of being a goalkeeper, to be more proactive and anticipate stuff that has not happened yet. So, if you can go for a cross, just go for it. Don't wait for the save. Instead, avoid the chance. For balls in behind and all that, stay high as much as possible to be able to cut out the attack.
"If you see me at Blackburn and then after I signed for Brentford, it's two completely different goalkeepers. At Blackburn, I wasn't going for any crosses. And then at Brentford and here, I think my numbers on crosses are remarkable.
"I love being part of the build-up, being part of trying to create goals and to create attacks. It's fun. I enjoy the challenge. I know there are going to be mistakes and goals conceded because of it, because that's the way we play. But that's the risk that we take and that's the risk that the manager wants us to take. The benefit is bigger than the risk, I think."
Two players who have regularly been helping to mitigate those risks are William Saliba and Gabriel, who have formed a strong defensive partnership at the back.
"They are so strong and the relationship they have between them is incredible," David said. "They both know where the other one is in every situation, so they have each other's backs.
"And they're so clever, both of them, considering they are relatively young. I know Wilo is a bit younger than Gabriel, but they are both relatively young and the positions they take up on the pitch to avoid stuff happening are incredible.
“Riccardo Calafiori is young, only 22, and he's hungry. In terms of football, he's a great player who has a great future. He can play left-back, he can play left centre-back. So, the first impression has been really, really good.
"He is very, very strong. He goes for the tackles. He just goes for it. He would put his head in a washing machine, if you know what I'm saying. But the main thing is that he's a great guy as well as a great player."
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