David Ospina is set to stay with Napoli next season, with an agreement between the Serie A side and Arsenal ‘very close’, according to reports in Italy.

david ospina napoli 3
NAPLES, ITALY – AUGUST 25: David Ospina of SSC Napoli in action during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AC Milan at Stadio San Paolo on August 25, 2018, in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Italian outlet Il Mattino (via CalcioNapoli1926) report that Ospina will remain in Naples next season, and an agreement with Arsenal is very close.

The Colombian goalkeeper had a €3.5m obligatory purchase clause in his contract if he reached 25 appearances this season, but Napoli deliberately dropped him after 24 games so they would have the freedom to make their own decision.

Nonetheless, it seems they’re set to come to the same conclusion anyway. There’s no word on the exact fee to be paid just yet, but you’d expect it to be something similar to the fee they’d already agreed on last summer.

In Ospina’s 24 appearances in 2018/19, he kept eight clean sheets and conceded 25 goals.

There was some talk that Arsenal might consider taking the 30-year-old back after Petr Cech’s retirement, but it appears they’re set to look elsewhere to fill that gap. That could mean the likes of Emi Martinez (26) and Deyan Iliev (24) will finally get a chance.