David Raya, on behalf of De Gea

07/07/2023 at 20:03

CEST


The Catalan goalkeeper from Brentford has established himself as a reference in the Premier in a career strikingly linked to that of De Gea

He debuted in the Spanish National Team in the first list in which Luis Enrique left out the Manchester United goalkeeper. He now sounds to replace it

He emigrated at the age of 16 from Cornellá to the lower ranks of Blackburn until he found a place in the Premier after Brentford’s promotion. Tottenham want it

The race of David Stripe (Barcelona, ​​1995) walks mystically attached to that of David De Gea. Soccer and its coincidences, striking path of surprising stories. That of the Brentford goalkeeper is. Breastfed in the lower ranks of Unió Esportiva Cornellá, his name rose to fame in Spain about a year ago, when in March 2022 Luis Enrique He called him against all odds to make him an international goalkeeper with just 16 games played in the Premier League. He did so by delisting David De Gea. The one from Illescas did not return to a list with ‘Lucho’. This emigrant boy from the ball took over his position in a nod that could now be transferred to Manchester United. Because Stripe He is one of the candidates to replace degea from Old Trafford.

After more than a decade wearing the colors of the Red Devils, the goalkeeper is on the starting ramp. A telluric movement that is having the appearance of a soap opera and that in terms of names for the replacement has more than one candidate. In addition to Stripe, Onana (Inter Milan) and robert sanchez (also Brighton Spanish) emerge as options. For Betfair forecasts, Stripe not the favourite. His signing for United is paid at €10 per euro wagered. Other top options emerge ahead, such as Tottenham (quota 4.0), Chelsea (4.5) and Arsenal (5.5). The dance shows that this boy is one of the names of the summer in the Premier.

From Cornellá to the Premier in silence

He has earned it hard in the shadow of anonymity that in Spain makes him unknown, but not in the United Kingdom, where he traveled as a child to grow as a player. At barely 16 years old, in 2012, Stripe He decided to leave Cornellá’s inferiors to sign for the Blackburn Rovers youth team. There he made a career until Brentford noticed him and decided to make him their starting goalkeeper. The first two seasons of him he played everything until he was promoted to the Premier.

It was then, and when he had barely played in the English elite when Luis Enrique His call with La Roja was already thought. The Asturian coach had positive reports of a Spanish goalkeeper recently landed at the first English who was fast in flight and agile with the ball. His low profile helped him fit into the former coach’s model: a goalkeeper who played or not would be happy at ‘La Roja’.

A fixture with Luis Enrique and De la Fuente

It happens that by the time he wanted to summon it (November 2021), Stripe he was injured and was KO for three months. He had to wait until March 2022 to be called up for the first time. He then had only accumulated 16 games in the Premier, but Luis Enrique He did not care and at the Cornellá stadium – El Prat made him debut against Albania. The appointment was for Stripe special because he played (almost) on the same stage that he did as a child. The Unió Esportiva Cornellá stadium is next to the Espanyol field. It was a special debut.

The first stone on his way to the World Cup. Because he remained on the list in Qatar and has also done so under the command of louis de la fuente. Now, having become a goalkeeper with much more experience in the Premier (last season he played 39 official matches with Brentford), he has become one of the most coveted goalkeepers in the competition and an open channel for extra income for his club. who hopes to get about 40 million euros from his game for Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal… or to Manchester United, where once again his career would be linked to that of David De Gea. Football and its whims.

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