David Ospina believes he is being overlooked for the Napoli line-up due to a contractual clause that would oblige the Serie A club to sign him from Arsenal permanently.
Ospina, 30, joined Gli Azzurri on a season-long loan at the start of the campaign following the summer arrival of Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen.
Why won’t Napoli play Ospina? Five key things to know…
- Ospina joined Arsenal from Nice in 2014 but failed to break into the starting XI.
- The Colombian had played second fiddle to Petr Cech and was subsequently loaned out to Napoli this term.
- Ospina’s contract with Arsenal expires in June 2020 but Napoli must sign him on a permanent basis if he plays a certain amount of matches.
- He was first-choice at the start of the season but has failed to feature in the previous four matches.
- Youngster Alex Meret has since taken his place, which Ospina admits he “knew” might happen.
The South American shot-stopper had been a regular feature under Carlo Ancelotti but has since found his position shifted from a guaranteed starter to fringe player. This, he suggests, is because Napoli do not wish to pay a permanent transfer fee for him.
“My current situation is that I am on loan for this season and there is a clause based on a certain number of games, where if I play, the transfer will become an automatic purchase,” Ospina told reporters.
“When the situation does not depend on me, all I can do is wait for the decision to be made, which in this case is from Napoli. The club had just made a great purchase with Meret, who is a young goalkeeper with a great future, so I knew that when he came, this might happen.
“He is a great goalkeeper, and we have a great relationship. I’m sure he will be a very important player in the future.”
Napoli are currently second in Serie A but are 14 points adrift of table-toppers Juventus. Ancelotti and Co. host Torino at the San Paolo Stadium on Sunday.
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Where does Ospina’s future lie?
With the announcement of Cech’s retirement at the end of the season Ospina could return to north London and rival Leno for a starting berth under Emery.
Ospina has proven a safe pair of hands for Napoli this season, but the fact the club appear to be avoiding making his transfer permanent speaks volumes.
The Gunners will no doubt need reinforcements between the sticks, but whether Ospina will be content with a potential place on the periphery remains uncertain.
He has been linked with a move back to South America, with Argentinian outfit Boca Juniors rumoured to be lining up a bid.
However, Ospina confessed his preference would be to continue plying his trade in Europe, though he refused to rule out a move closer to home.
He said: “I want to continue playing in Europe, although a return to South American football is always a possibility. I am open for a move closer to home.”
The post Arsenal loan clause explains why David Ospina is no longer playing for Napoli appeared first on Squawka News.
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