Out of Favour Arsenal Keeper David Ospina Agrees Napoli Loan Move With Purchase Option
Napoli have reached an agreement to sign Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina on a season-long loan deal, which can be made permanent next summer.
The 29-year-old has played second fiddle to Petr Cech throughout his time at the Emirates Stadium, and the arrival of Bernd Leno has pushed him further down the pecking order under new manager Unai Emery.
With Ospina in search of regular first team football and Napoli needing a replacement for Pepe Reina after his move to Milan, this looks like an ideal match for both parties.
The Guardian claims that the move has already been completed, although this contradicts La Gazzetta dello Sport, which states that Ospina will undergo a medical in Rome on Thursday.
Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis confirmed the transfer when he appeared on Radio Kiss Kiss on Wednesday morning. The loan move will cost Napoli €1m up front.
The Colombian will face immediate competition from two other new summer signings: Alex Meret and Orestis Karnezis. Both men have Serie A experience with SPAL and Udinese respectively.
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However, neither has experience with a club as prestigious as Arsenal, which may give Ospina the advantage in what will be a healthy competition to be Reina's successor.
Besiktas were the favourites to sign Ospina, with reports in the British media claiming that it was essentially a done deal.
But the two sides could not reach a full accord, and Napoli have now swooped in to hijack the move at the eleventh hour, ahead of the Italian transfer window closing on Friday.
