Brentford player issues transfer plea to Antonio Conte, with Tottenham target explaining why he declined rival deal
A star Brentford player has explained why he rejected a new contract with the club, a move that will please Antonio Conte as Tottenham looks to sign him.
Brentford is experiencing another successful season. After finishing 13th in their debut Premier League season, they appear poised to finish even higher this year, as they are currently in seventh place. The Bees are in front of notable teams such as Chelsea and Liverpool.
Thomas Frank is proving to be an effective Premier League manager, and a number of his players have demonstrated that they can compete with England’s top players.
Ivan Toney is arguably the most important player for Brentford. This season, he has scored 14 goals in 21 matches, which is a major reason for Brentford’s success.
However, a portion of their success must be credited to goalkeeper David Raya. The Spaniard is an excellent goalkeeper, having kept eight clean sheets in 22 appearances so far this season.
Raya, unfortunately for Frank, is attracting interest from English clubs. According to The Independent, both Manchester United and Chelsea are interested in him.
Tottenham is also interested in acquiring Raya. Hugo Lloris’s age and occasional errors have necessitated a search for a replacement goalkeeper for some time.
In January, Brentford attempted to deter Man United, Chelsea, and Tottenham by offering Raya a new contract. However, DAZN journalist Alvaro de Grado revealed on January 24 that the 27-year-old rejected their offer.
Raya has now confirmed that this is the case. He does not believe the time is right to negotiate new terms with Brentford.
And with his current contract with Brentford expiring in June 2024, it appears Raya is urging Spurs to make a move for him this summer.
“I don’t think it’s the right time to sign a contract at the moment,” Raya told the PA news agency (via The Independent). “I’m really, really happy and right now I’m just thinking about doing the best for the team and trying to push for Europe.
“I was offered a new contract last year and one in January but we didn’t reach an agreement. I would like to see what happens in summer, however I’m happy at Brentford.
“For now a new contract is secondary, the most important thing is the team and the games. We’ll see where we are in May.
“You never know what’s around the corner. There’s nothing I can say about what’s going to happen in the summer. I don’t even know what’s going to happen on Saturday.”
The two-time Spain international was then asked how it feels to be one of Europe’s most sought-after goalkeepers. He responded that Brentford ‘feels like home,’ indicating that he is content where he is.
However, Raya is an ambitious individual, and if the opportunity to join a team competing in European competition presents itself, he will undoubtedly seize it.
Therefore, if Spurs submit an offer at the end of the season, he will likely inform Brentford’s leadership that he wishes to complete the transfer.
This would be a setback for the Bees, but they will make a substantial profit by letting him go. In 2019, they paid only £3 million for him, but he is now worth well over £20 million.
Brentford player issues transfer plea to Antonio Conte, with Tottenham target explaining why he declined rival deal
