David Raya has been heavily linked with a move away from Brentford this summer and Bayern Munich are the latest team to join the race for the Spain international
David Raya has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich are plotting a move for Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.
The 27-year-old has one year left on his contract at the Bees and had been linked with a £40million move to Manchester United earlier in the transfer window. However, the Red Devils opted to sign Andre Onana from Inter Milan instead following David de Gea’s departure last month.
Raya did not feature for Brentford in their pre-season defeat against Brighton on Wednesday but did play 45 minutes in their previous friendly loss to Fulham three days earlier. He could be allowed to leave the Bees after they signed Mark Flekken from Freiburg for £11m, with Thomas Strakosha also still at the club.
After attracting interest from several Premier League sides, Raya is now being eyed up by Bayern as Thomas Tuchel tries to solve their goalkeeper conundrum. According to Sky Sports, the Bundesliga champions have opened talks to sign the Spain international before the end of the summer.
Bayern have major issues in goal at the moment. Manuel Neuer is still out injured after breaking his leg in a horrific skiing accident during the winter break, while Yann Sommer is heading for the exit door with Inter Milan keen on signing the Switzerland international after losing Onana.
Alexander Nubel and Johannes Scheunk have already been loaned out, leaving Bayern without a senior fit ‘keeper in the squad if Sommer does end up departing. Neuer has been doing some light training but is not expected to return before their first competitive game against RB Leipzig on August 12.
The German side face Leipzig in the DFL-Supercup final - six days before the start of the Bundesliga season where they will travel to take on Werder Bremen. Bayern want to sign a new ‘keeper ready for their first two matches and Raya is thought to be among those they are looking at.
David Raya could leave Brentford this summer (
Image:
Getty Images)
Brentford value Raya at £40m despite having less than 12 months to go on his current deal. The Spaniard is said to be “ready to make the next step in his career” this summer, but Thomas Frank’s men could keep Raya and stick with three top goalkeepers if their valuation is not met.
Speaking back in June, Raya, who has turned down new contract offers, admitted he wants to leave Brentford before the end of the window. “I know there are rumours about me leaving,” he told The Times. “There are some options for me to go but obviously Brentford are asking for a lot of money.
“That could make clubs not want to buy me, it could make them look somewhere else. But if that’s the value they give me then it’s up to them. I have a year left on my contract and until then I’m a Brentford player, there’s nothing I can do.
“I have ambitions to make the next step in my career. I want to try to win titles and to compete in Europe in the next couple of years. I’m 27 now and I feel like I’m at the point in my career when I want to make that step up. There are options out there but it’s not just my ambitions, the club also needs to let me go.”
Raya isn’t the only Premier League player Bayern are trying to sign as they continue to chase a move for Tottenham star Harry Kane this summer. Tuchel is keen to make Kane his new centre forward but Spurs are determined to keep the England international, despite having one year left on his contract.
