As reported by the Sun, Brentford is reportedly preparing to sign a successor for David Raya, giving Manchester United an advantage in their pursuit of getting him this summer.
The Spanish goalkeeper has emerged as a promising goalkeeper in the Premier League, and Bees manager Thomas Frank recently acknowledged that it would be difficult to keep him.
His current contract expires in the summer of 2024, and Freiburg star Mark Flekken has been identified as a potential replacement by the west London club. Next season, Raya hopes to play for an elite European team, although he might demand a high salary. Frank revealed that Brentford believes he is worth £40 million.
Meanwhile, David de Gea has been excellent in goal this season, but it has just come to light that he has turned down a wage cut in exchange for a long-term deal.
His future at the club becomes uncertain in light of this. United has the option to extend his £375,000-per-week contract by one year but hasn’t done so yet. A breakdown in negotiations could result in De Gea leaving on a free transfer during the summer, but the Red Devils are still hopeful of reaching a new agreement with a wage decrease.
This might open the door for Raya. He has been superb with his long-range distribution for the Bees this season. He averages eight passes in the opponent’s half and 11 long balls per game.
De Gea has only been able to complete 4.7 long balls and 2.4 passes per game in the opponent’s half. In terms of this quality, Raya would be a clear improvement over his countryman.
