According to a report by Football London on Saturday October 17, 2026, Peter Schmeichel has praised Mikel Arteta for making the decision to sign David Raya, admitting he was surprised when Arsenal brought the Brentford goalkeeper to the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2023.

At the time, Aaron Ramsdale was Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper after helping the club finish second in the Premier League. His energetic performances and aggressive style had made him popular among supporters, making Raya’s arrival an unexpected development.

However, Ramsdale gradually lost his position before joining Southampton a year later. Schmeichel, the former Manchester United goalkeeper, initially questioned Arsenal’s decision but now believes Arteta deserves recognition for identifying Raya as the right player.

Speaking on Overlap Daily, Schmeichel explained that he had admired Ramsdale’s performances and was surprised Arsenal decided to recruit another goalkeeper.

“He’s done really well, hasn’t he? You know what? I was really surprised,” Schmeichel said, acknowledging that he had liked Ramsdale’s aggression and willingness to rush off his line.

Nevertheless, the Danish legend believes Raya’s contribution has been crucial to Arsenal’s success. He even suggested the club would have fallen short of winning the Premier League title last season without the Spanish goalkeeper.

Schmeichel emphasised his belief by recalling that Arsenal would have been nowhere near the championship without Raya protecting their goal.

Raya’s achievements further strengthen that argument. He has won the Premier League Golden Glove for three consecutive seasons and is now targeting an unprecedented fourth successive award.

Schmeichel also highlighted Raya’s significant improvement when dealing with crosses, identifying it as an important aspect of his development since arriving in north London.

“One other thing where he has massively improved is coming for crosses,” Schmeichel explained, praising the goalkeeper’s growing confidence and decision-making in those situations.

He added that Raya now inspires confidence, creating the feeling that opponents will struggle to score when they face him.

That reliability has continued into the current campaign. Arsenal remain the only team in the Champions League yet to concede after their opening two matches, despite William Saliba’s absence.

Raya has played an important role in that defensive record, strengthening his reputation and increasing the debate over whether he could eventually become Arsenal’s greatest-ever goalkeeper.