Secret Raya deal emerges
A new lucrative contract for David Raya, agreed upon in the summer, has been revealed. The duration of the agreement remains the same, but he was awarded a substantial salary increase in the closed season as recognition for a couple of impressive seasons at the Emirates.
He initially joined from Brentford on a season-long loan in 2023 before seeing off the now departed Aaron Ramsdale as first choice and making his move permanent. There has been no official announcement by the club, nor is one expected, given that the term of his original contract hasn’t changed.
Gunners eye Wembley move
Arsenal could temporarily relocate to Wembley if their plans to expand the Emirates Stadium are approved. The demand for tickets currently surpasses the supply, with approximately 100,000 fans on the season ticket waiting list.
The Gunners’ home ground currently accommodates 60,700 spectators, ranking it as the fifth-largest club stadium in the country and the third-largest in London, behind Tottenham and West Ham, which have marginally larger venues.
The proposed expansion would increase the capacity to roughly 70,000, making it the second-largest stadium in the country, surpassed only by Manchester United’s Old Trafford.
However, due to railway lines surrounding the stadium, outward expansion is not feasible. Instead, the club plans to steepen the stands to accommodate thousands of additional seats.
This intricate work, estimated to cost around £500 million, would necessitate a temporary relocation for the Gunners, with Wembley being earmarked as an interim base, as Tottenham did when their stadium was being built.
Summer signing has exit plan
Summer signing Christian Norgaard, who joined Arsenal from Brentford as a direct replacement for Thomas Partey on a two-year contract, has already planned his next move.
Unconnected to his lack of game time, Norgaard has revealed where he sees his playing career ending, and it’s not with the Gunners. He told Danish title Bold: “Whether it will be two or three years at Arsenal has not been decided, but we will return to Denmark when the contract expires. I can guarantee that Arsenal will be my last club abroad. I still want to return to Brondby when my contract with Arsenal expires.”
Norgaard, who has made just two appearances this season, retains strong ties with the Danish club, where he played more than 100 games between 2013 and 2018 before moving to Fiorentina and then Brentford.