David Ospina has confirmed that he’ll leave Arsenal this season if a suitable offer comes his way.
The Colombian international has informed the club of his intention to find regular football elsewhere and been told by the board they won’t stand in his way. The likes of Fenerbahce and Besiktas have been regularly linked.
The 28-year-old has made 49 appearances for the Gunners since signing from Nice in 2014. He briefly became first choice keeper when he usurped Wojciech Szczesny in the aftermath of ‘Cheekybiftergate‘ but has played second fiddle to Petr Cech in the last two seasons.
“I told my club that I want to go to a team where I’ll play regularly,” Ospina told Turkish publication Fanatik [translation by Sport Witness].
“They know my intention. If the right offer comes, then I’ll happily come to Turkey.
“My agent is taking care of transfer business. In fact, I’m happy at Arsenal but I have to play regularly. I told them exactly that.
“Arsenal’s board told me they will not be making things difficult for me if the right offer comes in. Let’s see what the future brings.”
Ospina’s departure would open the door to a return for Szczesny who this week reaffirmed his desire to return to London even though he’s made a huge impression during consecutive loan spells with AS Roma.
I don’t begrudge Ospina his request at all. He’s good enough to be the number one at many other clubs, just not quite good enough to be number one here where we’ve got Cech in front of him, probably a returning Szczesny in front of him, and an outstanding prospect in Martinez about even with him. He’s done his best for us when he’s played, and apart from a couple of high profile errors (and what keeper doesn’t occasionally make one?) he’s been pretty decent.
Thanks for your time here, and good luck wherever you go.
Ospina is vastly superior to Szczesny in judgement, 1v1 situations and shot stopping.
He is right and i think that he deserves better than Turkey (no offence intended).
Fair play to you mate. Goooooospinaaaaa? 🙂
The best back up there is and he really deserves to be no 1. Unfortunately for him, but not for us, Chech is better and I believe the future no 1 comes home from Roma next season.
Chesney is overhyped shite. The Aaron Ramsey of keepers.
So many people have made similar comments that he ‘deserves’ to be no.1. I find it a very strange thing to say to be hinest. He can be no.1 at a smaller club or a squad player at a big one. He’s just not at the quality level to be Arsenal no. 1. It’s his decision to make & good luck to him if he does go but there’s no ‘deservng’ about it.
why destabilising the small momentum with his wish… he can go wherever he wants don’t care
Been a solid option, despite his acrobatics that his still but seldom make me comfortable. Would be a huge miss but he deserves first team football and has been there when needed these past 2 seasons. Credit to the chap for being a solid professional when donning the shirt.
Bye Felicia
Szczesny been one of the best gk’s in serie a this season, with Roma having brought in a new goalkeeping coach.
HINT FUCKING HINT ARSENAL.
Oooooooffffff- spina!
Good luck, David and all the best if you do leave. Great pro and seems like a decent bloke too.
Cycle Szsc back in to compete and eventually (potentially) take over from Cech who can be a mentor.
Ospina is a good shot stopper but he lacks command of the box.
Turkey is the league where end of their career players go. Like an oasis for wantaway players. He is 28 and a pretty decent keeper. Should move to a team in a bigger league.
Sell Ospina, sell Chesney, buy Pickford. Great talent and the perfect age to play part time for one year while breaking in under Cech, then take over as the fulltime starter the next year.
Pickford was very, very good today, but Szczesny has been pulling up trees all year in Serie A. He’s far ahead of Pickford right now, and still not yet at the peak of his game.
I’d prefer Donnarouma as no2 to Cech. Looks like he will be one of the best keepers for a long time
Somehow I don’t think Milan’s first choice keeper, and the most talked about teenage goalie since Buffon burst onto the scene, will come to warm our bench when clubs in desperate need of a keeper (Man City) are knocking
One of Blogs’ best lines was when he commented that Szczesny had “the confidence of a coked-up rock star.” True that was, but it was also true that his confidence could be easily shattered. Between that, and his immature shenanigans off the pitch, a spell away from the Emirates was a good idea. If he did mature during his two-year spell in Italy, then I’d certainly like to see him return, but as the number 2 keeper at this time.
Thank you for your services Ospina. Say hello to the Dutch Skunk from us if you go to Fenerbahce and tell him he’s still a Dutch Skunk. Good luck!
If it wasn’t for the Champions League arrangement this season he probably would have left last summer, and to be fair I wouldn’t have blamed him. He’s good enough to play regularly for a top team – you could argue that he’s a better keeper than the first choice stoppers at two of the current top 4 sides (City & Liverpool).
As such, I don’t think we should let him go on the cheap. If Bravo went for about £15m, surely Ospina is at least in the £8-10m bracket?
Yet we don’t need Pickford apparently