Arsenal have finalised a bumper new deal for goalkeeper David Raya that pushes his weekly earnings well beyond his current £100,000 per week, but includes one strange detail.
The Spanish international secured the wage increase following negotiations completed during the summer months, though the club has chosen not to make any formal announcement regarding the agreement.
The pay-rise reflects Raya's importance within Mikel Arteta's squad since his permanent transfer in 2024 for £27million, having initially arrived on loan from Brentford in 2023.
Strangely, the contract renewal does not increase the length of the current deal, but is simply seen to be a fairer reflection of the Spaniard's current importance to the team.
Arsenal have finalised a bumper new deal for goalkeeper David Raya that pushes his weekly earnings well beyond his current £100,000 per week, but it includes one strange detail
|REUTERS
The goalkeeper's improved terms follow an identical pattern to Belgian winger Leandro Trossard, who received his own salary increase earlier in the summer without any adjustment to his 2027 contract expiry date.
Neither player's revised financial arrangement has been publicly acknowledged by the north London club, despite both agreements being concluded months ago.
The Spaniard has kept 45 clean sheets in 105 games for the Gunners
|REUTERS
This approach represents a deliberate strategy from Arsenal's hierarchy, with sporting director Andrea Berta conducting negotiations with multiple squad members including Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.
The wage adjustments reflect the club's commitment to maintaining competitive salary structures whilst recognising individual contributions to the team's performances.
The policy extends beyond individual cases, with recent contract improvements secured for William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
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Jurrien Timber is reportedly next in line for an extension, whilst negotiations are scheduled with Saka regarding a potential new agreement that could see him become the first Arsenal player to surpass £300,000 per week.
The wage restructuring acknowledges that several players initially joined from clubs with lower salary scales than those expected at title-contending teams.
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The new contract is part of a scheme to improve contracts at the reward the highest-performing members of the Arsenal squad
|REUTERS
Raya has delivered exceptional performances since establishing himself as Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper over Aaron Ramsdale, securing 45 clean sheets across 105 matches in all competitions.
His consistency between the posts has earned him the Premier League's Golden Glove award on two occasions, sharing the honour with Nottingham Forest's Matz Sels last season.
The former Brentford keeper has become integral to Arsenal's defensive stability, with his reliability proving crucial to Arteta's approach.
His statistical record demonstrates why the club deemed it necessary to increase his financial terms, recognising his status amongst the Premier League's, and Europe's, most elite goalkeepers.