May 1st 2024.
The Gunners are facing a tough decision this summer as their star goalkeeper, David Raya, has been chosen to represent Spain in the upcoming Olympics in Paris. While this is a great honor for Raya, it poses a dilemma for Arsenal as the Games start just 10 days after the European Championships final. La Roja is determined to win the gold medal in football after a 32-year drought and has put together a strong team for the tournament.
Despite the potential clash with the Euros, Spain is considering including Barcelona's Pedri and Lamine Yamal in the squad. This is not uncommon for the Spanish team, as they take the Olympics very seriously. In fact, in the previous Covid-delayed Games, six players were selected to play in both the Olympics and the Euros, which were held only a few weeks apart. Although the Olympics are for players under 23 years old, each team is allowed to choose three over-age players to join the squad.
According to Spanish publication Relevo, Spain's youth coach, Santi Denia, has identified the goalkeeper position as a weak area and is eyeing Raya as the perfect choice. Raya, who is 28 years old, brings experience and excellent ball-playing skills to the team. Furthermore, he is not expected to play a significant role in the Euros, making him an ideal candidate for the Olympics. Spain is now more mindful of managing their players' workload, especially after Pedri suffered multiple injuries and burnout following his efforts in 2021.
While Yamal has expressed his dream of representing Spain in the Olympics, he also understands the importance of avoiding overloading himself. He believes that playing in both tournaments would not be wise and that his priority would be the Euros. However, the situation is different for Raya, who is unlikely to see much playing time in the Euros, with Unai Simon currently holding the number one spot for Spain.
It is up to Arsenal to decide whether Raya will be allowed to join the Spanish team for the Olympics. Unlike Spanish clubs, who are obliged to release their players for international duty, Arsenal can veto Raya's participation. Given the timing of the Games, it is highly likely that the Gunners will choose to keep their star goalkeeper for themselves.
In the summer of 2021, Simon was one of the six players who represented both Spain in the Euros and the Olympics, where they finished as silver medallists behind Brazil. However, this time, Arsenal may not be as willing to let Raya go, as he would only have an 11-day break before the Premier League kicks off on August 17 if Spain were to reach the final. With the Euros starting from June 15 and potentially ending on July 14 for Spain, Raya would have little time off and would miss most of Arsenal's pre-season.
It is clear that Arsenal has a tough decision to make, and it remains to be seen whether they will allow Raya to join Spain for the Olympics or keep him for themselves. One thing is for sure, though, this situation has caused quite the buzz in the football world, and fans will be eagerly waiting to see how it unfolds.
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