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Mikel Arteta has quipped that the only way Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya will be playing football in his homeland of Spain anytime soon is if it's during a summer holiday.
Raya recently sparked curiosity about his future by admitting in an interview he would "love" to try his hand in La Liga. "For now, I'm very happy [at Arsenal], but I would definitely like to experience the Spanish league," he told MARCA.
"Maybe, down the line, I could play for a Spanish club. I'm Spanish and I'd love to play there."
Raya is a fairly rare figure among the elite, having never played professional club football in his home country. The goalkeeper was born and raised in Barcelona, beginning his journey in the youth academy at UE Cornellà, a club owned since April 2026 by Lionel Messi.
Raya left home at just 16 in 2012, moving to England in pursuit of a professional career. Blackburn Rovers, Premier League champions in 1994–95 but relegated at the start of that summer, became his new home. He broke into the first team two years later and served as the club's first-choice goalkeeper during the 2017–18 and 2018–19 campaigns.
From there, Raya attracted interest from Brentford, before Arteta decided in 2023 that he was an essential upgrade on Aaron Ramsdale who would take Arsenal to the next level. The goalkeeper has claimed three Premier League Golden Gloves across the past three seasons and could realistically win the Yashin Trophy at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony on Monday night as the world's finest.
Though not a regular starter for his national side, Raya has been a consistent presence in Spain squads over the past four years and has collected both a European Championship and World Cup winners' medal as a result.
Playing for a club in La Liga therefore remains a notable gap in his list of career accomplishments.
Arsenal Against Selling No. 1 Goalkeeper
But, as far as Arteta is concerned, that will have to wait.
"I think David has to play in Spain at some point ... on the beach with his mates in the summer," the Gunners manager joked when the topic was raised at a press conference. "For the next few years, he needs to be playing here for Arsenal."
Arteta himself spent the bulk of his playing days outside Spain, though he did make 42 appearances at professional level for Barcelona B and later 17 for his hometown club Real Sociedad.
Raya has entered the final two years of his Arsenal deal, which runs until June 2028. At 31, he is by no means over the hill—particularly for a goalkeeper—but is also well beyond the early stages of his career. He will be just short of his 33rd birthday when that contract expires. Based on Arteta's remarks, Arsenal would be expected to move soon to secure his future through at least 2030.
Which Spanish Club Would David Raya Join?
Raya would need to weigh up how strongly he wants to play in Spain and at what point in his career. Does he want to experience La Liga in his prime, or would he settle for a farewell tour?
If it's the former, the window to make the move would be no later than 2028. Then comes the question of which clubs could be a suitable destination. The most natural answer is Barcelona, given his playing style and his childhood in the city. That option becomes complicated, however, when factoring in the club's 2025 signing of Joan García, who is flourishing and is a fellow Yashin Trophy nominee alongside Raya this year.
Despite his Barcelona roots, Raya has publicly stated he did not grow up supporting any particular club. That could open the door to Real Madrid, and there may be a well-timed opportunity to step in for Thibaut Courtois, aged 34, at Los Blancos when the moment arises.
A comparable situation exists with Jan Oblak at Atlético Madrid, though it remains entirely plausible that both he and Courtois could continue performing at this level well into their late thirties.
Should Raya choose to delay his return to Spain, Espanyol could be an option. The club is based in the Cornellà de Llobregat area, where his football story first began. But what about UE Cornellà as the ultimate storybook homecoming?
The club currently competes in the Tercera Federación, the fifth tier of Spanish football, but Messi did not invest his money simply to watch the club stagnate. La Liga remains four promotions away, yet it would be a remarkable tale if a climb to the top flight over the coming years coincided with Raya's return. In that scenario, Arsenal keep him for at least four more years, and everyone comes out a winner.