Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has admitted that he would love to play in La Liga at some point in his career, although the Spain international insists he is happy at the Emirates Stadium and remains focused on achieving more success with the Premier League champions.
The 31-year-old made the revelation during an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, opening the door to a possible return to his homeland after spending his entire professional career in English football.
Raya acknowledged that experiencing Spain’s top flight would be an attractive opportunity, but stressed that there is no immediate indication he wants to leave Arsenal.
“Yes, I would love to. I would love to try out LaLiga,” Raya said. “For now, I’m very happy here [at Arsenal], but I would certainly like to experience the Spanish league. I think it’s a very competitive league. Perhaps, in the future, I could play for a Spanish club. I’m Spanish, and I’d love to play there, that’s for sure.”
Born in Barcelona, Raya left Spain as a teenager to join Blackburn Rovers’ academy in 2012. He subsequently developed his career in England, playing for Blackburn, Southport and Brentford before joining Arsenal.
His move to north London initially came on loan in 2023, before Arsenal made the transfer permanent the following year. Since then, he has become a key figure in Mikel Arteta’s side, earning recognition for his shot-stopping, distribution and composure under pressure.
Raya’s comments are likely to attract attention given his Spanish background and the appeal of La Liga, where clubs such as Real Madrid and Barcelona regularly compete for major honours. However, he did not identify a specific Spanish club as his preferred destination, and his remarks should not be interpreted as confirmation of an impending transfer.
His current Arsenal contract runs until June 2028, leaving the club with time to address his long-term future. For now, his public position remains clear: he is content in England but would welcome the chance to experience Spanish football later in his career.
The goalkeeper has enjoyed a highly successful period with Arsenal, collecting three consecutive Premier League Golden Glove awards and helping the club secure the league title last season. His performances have strengthened his reputation among Europe’s leading goalkeepers.
Raya also reflected positively on his development since arriving at Arsenal, describing the recent campaign as the best of his professional career.
“Every year since I arrived at Arsenal, I’ve continued to improve and hopefully that will keep happening,” he said.
Despite his personal achievements, the Spaniard is eager to add more major trophies to his collection. Arsenal are targeting further progress in European competition after falling short of their Champions League ambitions last season.
“My goal is to win everything. We want to establish ourselves as favourites,” Raya said, adding that he hoped the team could go one better by winning the Champions League.
His comments underline the balance between his long-term personal ambition and his immediate commitment to Arsenal. While playing in La Liga remains a dream, Raya appears determined to make the most of his time in north London before considering any future move.
For Arsenal, the priority will be to retain one of their most important players as they pursue domestic and European success. For Raya, the possibility of returning to Spain remains open, but there is currently no confirmed transfer agreement or announced departure.
