Davis Ospina has Colombia on tenterhooks: in Napoli’s 2-5 defeat against Fiorentina, for the Italian Cup, he was replaced in the second half by an ailment in the twins. Spooky!
Although it does not seem like an injury that will take him out of a call for the Qatar 2022 Qualifiers, in which Peru and Argentina will have to be defeated, it is worrying news, for his country but also for him, now that his name appears with a lot of strength in the intense transfer market in Europe.
In the last hours, a ‘new girlfriend’ appeared in the path of the 33-year-old goalkeeper: Manchester United? Really? According to versions of the English press, apparently the good memory he left when he spent five years at Arsenal, putting pressure and being Plan A in continental tournaments, is his main letter of introduction.
What does it depend on? The point is that United want internal competition to raise the level of De Gea, who has improved a lot lately. However, they want a goalkeeper who makes them uncomfortable, even if the Colombian is not the candidate. According to the Daily Star, the one the Reds want is Emiliano Martínez, from Aston Villa. But he is worth 60 million euros, perhaps a lot for a probable substitute. Another option is Illan Meslier, a 21-year-old French goalkeeper, currently at Leeds United in Bielsa. But the same thing happens: it doesn’t sound like coming to United to see De Gea play. That is why a veteran like Ospina, who could also get free by not renewing with Napoli, is so attractive.
United join Real Madrid, another team that is also thinking of putting pressure on Thibaut Courtois to increase his level. The virtues are the same that they see in England on the Colombian, but again it is going to do what he already lived in Arsenal, spending more time on the bench. But … what benches!
But if he wanted to ensure a little more competition, the good Ospina also has alternatives: according to ‘Area Napoli’, Al-Nass Riyadh of Saudi Arabia is also tempting him by dint of a juicy retirement bonus, tax benefits and the certainty that, Although it is exotic, it will be the plan A and B of the club … as it happens in Colombia, where it almost does not matter if he plays or not because he is always an indisputable. In your case, your quota in the calls would not be at risk.
Who will Ospina choose? The fortune is to have options and market being already a veteran and without being in one of the top teams in Italy, beyond his latest results. He will be doing something very good to get into orbit in a football that seems to be increasingly unaware of the experience. Ask Colombia!
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