According to multiple sources, including Sky Sports, Arsenal has signed Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan on loan until the end of the season.
The Socceroos stopper joins the Gunners as a back-up to Bernd Leno and will likely compete with Alex Runarsson as number 2 at the Etihad Stadium.
Signing for the club you grew up supporting as a kid ✔️ @Arsenal
Buzzing to be beginning this new chapter and will give everything I’ve got to contribute to the first club I ever loved. pic.twitter.com/IUohEjFKVK
— Maty Ryan (@MatyRyan) January 22, 2021
Ryan capture good news for Brentford
The Gunners have long been said to be looking to cover the goalkeeper position at the club. Bringing in Ryan looks to be evidence of that.
58-cap Aussie shot-stopper Ryan was a £5.4m buy for the Seagulls. He came for that price from Spanish side Valencia in July 2017. He’s at Arsenal until the end of June this year; his contract at Brighton running out next summer.
Before dropping out of favour at the ABAX, Ryan featured in 11 of Brighton’s Premier League games this current campaign.
The fact that Arsenal has plumped to bring in 28-year-old Ryan also means that Brentford can breathe a little easier – for now.
Ryan capture means Raya light for Brentford
Arsenal landing Maty Ryan, even if it is just for the rest of this season, will be a positive for Brentford. It means that their interest in Bees stopper David Raya might have stopped – for the immediate future, that is.
Sources last year, such as The Telegraph, said that Arsenal was heavily interested in bringing Raya onboard. That ‘heavy interest’ is something that should lighten with the fact they’ve landed Ryan.
The bid that Arsenal entered for Raya was thought in the region of £10m – for a back-up keeper. Many would say that 25-year-old Raya is better than a £10m back-up.
He’s been an important feature in a Brentford side that is pushing for promotion from the Sky Bet Championship this season. The Bees are currently in 3rd place in the table on 44 points.
After exactly half the season, Thomas Frank’s men are just two points away from the automatic promotion places. David Raya has proved to have played a big part in that.
Raya has kept eight cleans sheets and conceded just 15 goals in the 19 Brentford appearances that he’s made this season.
Arsenal landing Maty Ryan could have played right into the hands of Brentford. It could be that filling that spot the Gunners had earmarked for Raya gives Brentford a sense of reassurance.
Now the London club might be able to rest a little more assured and focus on what is important – promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.
