Has Any Player Improved More Than David Raya? We've Found Ten Who've Given Him a Run for His Money

Peter Schmeichel has plenty of company in having to eat humble pie after David Raya's standout performances at Arsenal have proven the doubters spectacularly wrong.

"I didn't understand when he came from Brentford, I didn't understand because they had Aaron Ramsdale here and Ramsdale was doing very well," the former United keeper admitted. "I didn't get it and I was very critical at the time: you can't have two number ones, you've got choose, why do you bring him in?"

The scepticism about whether Raya represented a genuine upgrade on Ramsdale has haunted plenty of so-called experts, though Mikel Arteta's smug "and I was hammered when I brought him in" observation this season only deepened the embarrassment for his critics.

"I think he is probably the most improved player in the Premier League over the last two or three seasons," Schmeichel conceded—a statement few would dispute. Yet we've attempted to construct a counter-argument, examining not just the recent upturn but the journey these ten players have taken from their Premier League nadirs to their current standing.

Jeremy Doku (Manchester City)

Few would have predicted the Manchester City winger's transformation from ball-carrying speedster into a measured, intelligent playmaker over the previous two seasons. His interviews reveal a footballer genuinely committed to self-improvement and tactical evolution—a marked contrast to the player whose electrifying pace masked occasional carelessness in possession.

His acceleration from a standing start remains unparalleled, yet the final pass or decision in the attacking third used to frustrate. This campaign brought 11 assists before injury sidelined him, and his imminent return promises to inject fresh dynamism into the title push.

Granit Xhaka (Sunderland)

Few holes run deeper than the one Xhaka clawed himself out of following his October 2019 ejection as Arsenal captain, complete with his two-fingered salute to the home supporters. That nadir arguably forged something essential within him—a genuine maturity and authenticity that has defined his subsequent journey.

He rebuilt himself at Arsenal through commanding performances and leadership under Arteta, then engineered an unlikely Bundesliga triumph with Bayer Leverkusen before orchestrating Sunderland's remarkably smooth top-flight restoration.

James Garner (Everton)

Sold by Manchester United for £9m three-and-a-half seasons ago, Garner is now performing at a standard suggesting his former employers might not urgently require a £100m midfield recruit had they retained him.

His tackle count of 90 stands second only to Joao Palhinha's 94, whilst his 47 interceptions rank behind only Moises Caicedo's 50. Thomas Tuchel is reportedly keen to assess him as an England World Cup option—and with good reason.

Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)

The Dutchman came perilously close to departing Anfield following a campaign of misuse under Jurgen Klopp, who deployed him as a box-to-box operator alongside Alexis Mac Allister. Arne Slot's repositioning into the No.6 role proved transformative, with Gravenberch establishing himself as a commanding presence whilst teammates floundered.

Harry Wilson (Fulham)

No Fulham supporter genuinely mourned the cancellation of Wilson's deadline-day Leeds flight without being disingenuous. His Championship masterclass—10 goals and a staggering 20 assists—suggested a talent caught between tiers: too accomplished for the second division, yet seemingly short of top-flight calibre.

How comprehensively he's silenced the sceptics. Only Erling Haaland (29), Bruno Fernandes (20) and Igor Thiago (19) have accumulated more goals and assists than Wilson's 15 this term, and his nine strikes have included some genuinely spectacular finishes.

Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea)

The £107m arrival became a punchline almost immediately, winning just three of his opening 18 Premier League matches under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard. Mauricio Pochettino's appointment offered little respite from the mockery, which reached its zenith when Gary Neville bracketed him among the "billion pound bottlejobs" following the Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool's academy contingent.

Yet the World Cup winner found his groove under Enzo Maresca and has emerged as arguably the Premier League's most prolific goalscoring midfielder. Only Bruno Guimaraes (9) has netted more than Fernandez's eight this season, with Cole Palmer's wing repositioning underlining his indispensability in that No.10 slot.

Patrick Dorgu (Manchester United)

Ruben Amorim's maiden signing became a convenient scapegoat for a doomed 3-4-3 experiment in a squad fundamentally unsuited to such tactical upheaval. Yet under Michael Carrick, Dorgu's impact in the biggest fixtures has been undeniable—goals against Manchester City and Arsenal in those opening two games, plus assists against Chelsea and Aston Villa and a Newcastle strike that demonstrates genuine big-match composure for a player destined to prove a valuable squad asset regardless.

Matheus Nunes (Manchester City)

Perhaps it's time to accept that Nunes belongs at right-back. His initial struggles appeared symptomatic of Pep Guardiola forcing a £53m purchase into a position through necessity rather than conviction. Yet City's three defeats in their last 24 games have all arrived without him—Bayer Leverkusen, Bodo/Glimt and Manchester United—providing fairly conclusive evidence of his centrality to their campaign.

Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)

Todd Boehly surely questioned his £62m Brighton acquisition after Cucurella's debut campaign earned him a reputation as a colossal flop. Graham Potter noted the fanbase's "real dislike" for the Spanish left-back, yet he's since become a Chelsea favourite—precisely because he embodies the combative, divisive footballer the Stamford Bridge crowd cherishes, one who antagonises opponents and incurs genuine enmity from rival supporters.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds)

Boardroom discussions around Calvert-Lewin's free transfer arrival last summer presumably featured considerable hand-wringing regarding his injury history and availability. Yet he's proven instrumental in what appears a straightforward Premier League campaign, contributing ten goals to sit joint-top among English scorers in the division. We await his and Danny Welbeck's summer World Cup heroics with bated breath.