Aston Villa are now ‘following’ £40m Premier League star at Villa Park

Aston Villa are one Premier League club who are following Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, journalist Rudy Galetti has told GIVEMESPORT.

Thomas Frank recently confirmed that the 27-year-old is available after refusing to sign a new deal at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Transfer news — David Raya

Back in February, Raya revealed that he had rejected two contract offers from Brentford.

Speaking to The Athletic, the Spaniard said: “I turned down two contracts, one last year and one this January. They weren’t the offers we were looking for. I can only say that.”

Raya now looks to be for sale as Brentford try to avoid losing him on a free transfer in 2024 when his current deal expires.

“You all know the price — £40m — and absolutely it’s realistic,” Frank was recently quoted as saying by talkSPORT.

What has Rudy Galetti said about David Raya and Aston Villa?

Galetti says Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are all interested in Raya.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Italian journalist said: “Despite the attempts of Brentford to convince him to stay by renewing his contract, David Raya, in all likelihood, will leave them in June. The English club are already targeting [Mark] Flekken for the next season. Raya is followed by some Premier League clubs, including Tottenham, Chelsea and Aston Villa.”

Would David Raya be a good replacement for Emiliano Martínez?

Villa’s interest in Raya comes amid talk that Martínez could leave Villa Park this summer.

According to Argentine outlet TyC Sports, the World Cup winner is another goalkeeper who Tottenham and Chelsea are looking at.

He’s the kind of player Unai Emery has to try and keep at the Midlands club, but if he were to lose him, then Raya would be an excellent replacement.

The Brentford shot-stopper is a Spain international who won’t need any time to adapt to the Premier League. Statistics show that he’s actually one of the best number ones currently in the division.

As per FBref, Raya has made over 150 saves this season and more than any of his rivals in the top flight.

In this day and age, £40m for a goalkeeper of his quality doesn’t seem too bad. However, with some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs also said to be interested in him, Villa could face a real fight to land the former Blackburn Rovers man.

If they can keep hold of Martínez, though, then there’ll obviously be no need to sign Raya this summer.