Bringing an end to what was possibly the Premier League's worst-kept secret, Arsenal have finally announced the permanent signing of goalkeeper David Raya.
The Spaniard joined the Gunners last summer, on an initial £3m loan deal, to aid Arsenal with their financial fair play and profit and sustainability requirements - but the deal included a £27m option to buy.
This option has now been taken up, ensuring that Raya will remain at the club for years to come - but this is far from the start of his story in North London.
The 28-year-old played an integral role last season, making an immediate impression on fans, and justifying the decision to sign him in the first place.
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New beginnings
Raya's loan with Arsenal was announced on August 15 2023, but his arrival was met with its fair share of scepticism at the time.
With Aaron Ramsdale having only joined the club two years before Raya's arrival, during which time he rarely put a foot wrong, many questioned the need to have signed another goalkeeper.
There were also fears as to the dynamic between the duo, with it clear that neither would happily sit on the bench.
Ramsdale started the 2023/24 season between the sticks for Arsenal but, after just four Premier League games, the England international was dislodged, as Raya asserted himself as Mikel Arteta's first-choice goalkeeper.
Despite clearly being the favoured goalkeeper, Raya continued to face criticism from some fans, who did not feel as though he represented an upgrade on his predecessor.
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Consistency is key
While it has to be noted that Raya endured some nervy moments in his first few games for the Gunners, this is to be expected given the pressure that was put on him to succeed, knowing that Ramsdale was still waiting in the wings.
Despite these occasional errors, Arteta kept faith in his fellow Spaniard, who quickly showed promising signs of exactly why Arsenal signed him.
One of the most notable qualities that he showcased was his distribution and calmness on the ball - which suited the team perfectly given their tendency to play out from the back.
In the months that followed, he became a dependable force at the back for the Gunners, and a vital asset to the team which, for many, more than justified the decision to sign him, even if only on loan at the time.
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UEFA Champions League heroics
After a whirlwind season for the Gunners in the previous campaign, it would be all too easy to forget the heroic performance from Raya - which salvaged Arsenal's place in the Champions League.
For anybody whose memory has failed them, let me take you back to a cool March evening in North London.
Arsenal overturned the deficit against Porto, having lost 1-0 in Portugal in the first leg, but were unable to nudge themselves in front in the tie, which proved to be the case throughout extra time too.
Arsenal have not had the most experience in penalty shootouts in recent years, not helped by their brief European absence, but that was not an issue on this Tuesday night.
In the shootout, Arsenal's takers boasted a perfect record, scoring four out of four, but it was Raya who stole the headlines as he saved two of Porto's spot kicks, ensuring the Gunners' passage to the quarterfinal, where they narrowly lost against Bayern Munich.
Despite only making, and only needing to make, a single save in the game itself, this is a game that he will remember for years to come and, if they had not already, was a point where almost every fan united behind him.
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Award-winning season
If his heroics against Porto were not enough to convince fans of his quality, Raya also kept an impressive 16 clean sheets, a tally which saw him beat out the likes of Alisson Becker and Ederson Moraes to clinch the Premier League Golden Glove award.
All of this, in just his first season with the club, a season where he started initially as Ramsdale's deputy, shows exactly why the club were so keen to acquire him, and why they have now made the deal permanent.
While some may sympathise with Ramsdale's situation, which will see him all but certainly leave the club this summer, the club are at a point where they cannot afford to hold sentiment, and Raya has shown that he is more than up to the task, as his story in North London is only just beginning.
