Player who Mikel Arteta sold for £17m at Arsenal becomes first in history to achieve remarkable feat

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The 2024 Ballon d’Or awards have now been confirmed, and several Arsenal stars featured.

Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice were all nominated for the award, which was won by Manchester City star Rodri.

Rodri surprisingly beat Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior to the Ballon d’Or, and Arsenal stars Gabriel Magalhaes and Mikel Merino have offered differing opinions over their international teammates.

There was also an award for the best goalkeeper of the year, and Mikel Arteta is certainly familiar with the winner, as a former Arsenal player lifted the trophy, and made footballing history in the process.

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Former Arsenal goalkeeper Emi Martinez wins historical second Yashin Trophy at Ballon d’Or awards

The Yashin Trophy is awarded to the best goalkeeper in the world each year, and former Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has ranked top out of 10 nominees.

Martinez helped Aston Villa finish in the top four under Unai Emery, and also won the Copa America with Argentina, having evolved into a top-class goalkeeper since Arteta sold him for £17m in 2020.

This was a significant win for Martinez, as having also won the trophy in 2023, he has become the first goalkeeper in history to win the award on more than one occasion.

Reported Arsenal target Andriy Lunin came in third place after a strong season with Real Madrid, whilst Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who riled Arsenal in the Champions League last season, came in eighth.

There was no room for David Raya, and the Spaniard may feel very hard done by, as he was arguably a contender for the award itself.

David Raya overlooked for Yashin Trophy despite incredible Arsenal form

Raya initially struggled when he joined Arsenal last year, but he found his form at the start of 2024, and maintained it throughout the year.

Raya won the Premier League Golden Glove with ease, and although he played a backup role, he won a medal at Euro 2024 as Spain won the tournament.

The goalkeeper then started the current season in imperious form, making world-class saves against Aston Villa and Atalanta to rescue points for Arsenal.

There is not only a case to be made that Raya deserved to be in the top 10 list, but many would argue that he has outperformed Martinez in the Premier League.

However, Martinez’s Copa America triumph was likely the deciding factor in winning the award, with Spain number one Unai Simon coming in second.