Brentford star issues transfer plea to Antonio Conte, with Tottenham target explaining why he rejected rival deal
A top Brentford performer has explained why he rejected a new contract with the club, in a move which will delight Antonio Conte as Tottenham look to sign him.
Brentford are enjoying another successful campaign. After finishing 13th during their first ever Premier League season, they look set to go even higher this time around as they currently occupy seventh spot. The Bees are ahead of illustrious sides such as Chelsea and Liverpool.
Thomas Frank is proving himself to be an effective Premier League manager, while several of his players have shown they can mix it with some of England’s best players.
Arguably Brentford’s most important player is striker Ivan Toney. He has netted 14 goals in 21 matches so far this season, which is a big reason why Brentford are doing so well.
But some of their success must also be attributed to goalkeeper David Raya. The Spaniard is a great shot-stopper and he has kept eight clean sheets in 22 appearances this term.
Unfortunately for Frank, Raya is picking up interest from other English clubs. According to The Independent, he has admirers at both Manchester United and Chelsea.
Tottenham are also interested in taking Raya on board. They have been on the lookout for a new keeper for some time given Hugo Lloris’ age and occasional mistakes.
Brentford attempted to ward off Man Utd, Chelsea and Tottenham by offering Raya a new deal in January. But on January 24, DAZN journalist Alvaro de Grado revealed that the 27-year-old has rejected their proposal.
Brentford man explains contract snub amid Tottenham rumours
And Raya himself has now confirmed this is the case. He does not feel now is the right time to agree fresh terms at Brentford.
And with his current Brentford contract expiring in June 2024, it seems Raya is issuing a transfer plea to 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.
‘We’ll see where we are in May’ – David Raya
“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-cap Spain international was then asked what it is like to be one of the most wanted keepers in Europe. He responded by saying Brentford ‘feels like home’, which suggests he is happy where he is.
However, Raya is an ambitious individual and he will surely want to take up the opportunity to join a team playing in European competition, should such an opportunity emerge.
As such, if Spurs submit an offer at the end of the season then he will likely tell Brentford chiefs he wants to make the transfer happen. This would be a blow for the Bees, although they will be making a serious profit when letting him go. They bought him for just £3million in 2019 and he is now worth way over £20m.
