Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina has joined Italian Serie A side, Napoli on loan as Unai Emery favours Petr Cech over the Colombian.
Ospina who enjoyed a great time with Arsenal under former manager Arsene Wenger, has seen his place in the team relegated under new manager Unai Emery. This situation motivated his move to Napoli on loan move away from the London club.
Ospina 29, signed from French side Nice in 2014 for a transfer fee of about £3m, but failed to command a first time shirt, before the arrival of Cech from Chelsea for £10m to take on the number one goalkeeper position for the club.
Throughout last season, Wenger managed the goalkeeping situation with game rotation, as while Cech had most of the League games, Ospina was used for League cup games, and it worked so well for them, as they were dominant in the League cup games, especially in the FA Cup, having so much success in the last five years.
Taking to their website Arsenalfc.com, the club wished the Colombian well for his loan move, saying:
“David joined us from Nice in 2014 after six seasons in Ligue 1, and has made 70 appearances.
He was our goalkeeper in the 2017 Emirates FA Cup final win over Chelsea. He has won two FA Cups and an FA Community Shield during his time with us.
David is a Colombia international with 90 caps. He has represented his country at two FIFA World Cups – in 2014 and 2018.
We would like to wish David the very best for the season.
The loan is subject to the completion of regulatory processes”
Arsenal will also be looking to create a space for new goalkeeper Bernd Leno whom they signed in last transfer window from Bayer Leverkusen.
He was on the bench in the game against Manchester City, a game which Arsenal lost, as Petr Cech was preferred over him.
The 26-year old Leno will act as a competition to Premier League legend, Cech as Unai Emery struggles to find his first choice goalkeeper, and with Ospina gone, he will now have the time to shuffle between Cech and Leno.