Gary Lineker says ‘brilliant’ Arsenal player may have become the best in the world now

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Gary Lineker believes Arsenal have a player in their ranks who could now be the best in the world in their position.

The Gunners have assembled a deep and talented squad in recent years, which was bolstered significantly by their £250 million spending spree in the summer.

Andrea Berta added eight new players to Mikel Arteta’s squad, including the likes of Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres.

This approach has clearly paid dividends, as the North Londoners sit six points clear at the top of the Premier League after ten matches.

• READ MORE: Confirmed Arsenal summer 2025 transfer ins and outs, signings and done deals

Gary Lineker says David Raya could be the best goalkeeper in the world

David Raya has been described as ‘brilliant’ in the past, and he’s certainly showing this to be an accurate description this season.

The Spaniard has kept eleven clean sheets in 14 matches across all competitions, conceding just three goals in this time.

While he owes a lot of this to the team in front of him, he’s been outstanding in his own right, making a handful of excellent reflex saves, while commanding his box with authority.

Speaking on the Rest is Football Podcast, Lineker stated that he believes that Raya has to be in the conversations for best goalkeeper on the planet.

“I’m going all over the place here, but I quite like these conversations,” he said.

“Who’s the best keeper in the world at the moment? Because you’ve obviously [Thibaut] Courtois and then there’s Raya at Arsenal, I mean, he’s not conceded a bloody goal hardly this season.”

Internally, Arsenal also believe they have one of the world’s best goalkeepers. The Gunners are understood to be delighted with the investment they made in the shot-stopper back in 2023, a decision which was met with scepticism at the time.

Who are David Raya’s genuine competitors worldwide?

Of course, no-one in European football can match Raya’s current goals conceded record.

However, that’s not to say there aren’t goalkeepers who are in a similar bracket to him worldwide. There are several number ones who are certainly in the conversation.

Lineker was right to point out Thibaut Courtois, who continues to produce mesmeric saves with his incredible elasticity in between the sticks for Real Madrid.

Alisson Becker may be injured at the moment, but the Brazilian is certainly one of the best when he’s fit and firing for Liverpool.

Gianluigi Donnarumma can certainly stake a claim for being in the shot-stopping conversations, although the Italian’s all-round game likely prohibits him from being among the very best.

Outside of these stars, the ageing Manuel Neuer and Jan Oblak are still among the elite, although arguably aren’t as impressive as any of the aforementioned figures.

Mike Maignan and Lucas Chevalier are threatening to break into this group, but remain unproven at the highest level just yet.