The 31-year-old has spent his entire senior club career in English football, joining Blackburn Rovers as a teenager before moving to Brentford and then Arsenal. He arrived at the Emirates on loan in 2023, with the transfer made permanent the following summer.
In an interview with Marca, Raya said he would welcome the chance to experience the Spanish top flight before his playing days are over, but made clear that the ambition is not a declaration of intent to leave north London.
“Yes, I would love to. I would love to try La Liga. For now, I’m very happy here, but I would certainly like to experience the Spanish league,” he said. “I think it’s a very competitive league. Perhaps, in the future, I could play for a Spanish club. I’m Spanish and I would really like to play there, that’s for sure.”
The comments are a statement of a long-term personal ambition rather than a transfer request. Raya remains an important figure for Mikel Arteta, having established himself as Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper after arriving from Brentford.
His performances have helped Arsenal challenge at the top of English football, and he won the Premier League Golden Glove after recording 19 clean sheets during the club’s title-winning 2025-26 campaign. He has continued to be a regular this season.
Raya also spoke positively about his development since joining Arsenal, saying he felt he had enjoyed an excellent year even though he did not feature for Spain at the World Cup. He believes the progress he has made in London can continue.
“I think I’ve had a perfect year. The only thing perhaps missing was playing at the World Cup. Every year since I came to Arsenal, I’ve continued to develop, and hopefully that will continue,” he said.
The goalkeeper’s contract runs until the summer of 2028, leaving Arsenal in a strong position should interest emerge. His preference to play in Spain at some point is unlikely, on its own, to signal an imminent departure, particularly while he remains settled at the Emirates.
For now, Raya’s focus remains on Arsenal, with his comments offering a glimpse of what he would like to experience later in his career rather than any immediate change of plans.