David Ospina admits it’s ‘time for something new’ as the Colombian gets ready for life away from Arsenal.
With the arrival of Bernd Leno, most expected Ospina to leave the club this summer after years of threatening to go.
In fact, most people have moved on with their lives as if he has already left.
He hasn’t. Not yet, at least.
But that is likely to change before the end of August as Arsenal continue with their goalkeeper clearout.
“I will return to Arsenal and assess the situation,” Ospina said on the Colombian TV show, ‘The Suso’s Show’.
“But right now I think it is time for something new.
“Arsenal is going through a transition period, they signed a new keeper and have a new manager.
“I will hold talks with the new boss and my agent and weigh up my options.”
Besiktas have reportedly pulled out of the deal to sign Ospina as they believe his €5m price tag and wage demands are ‘astronomical’.
It was reported last week that a deal had been struck and an announcement was imminent but, as tends to be the case with Turkish clubs, the selling price and wages have remained an issue.
Despite selling Fabri to Fulham for €6m, Besiktas have no intention of reinvesting part of that money in a keeper who is arguably better (and younger, albeit by only eight months).
Fabri has no international experience beyond u20 level and just 11 Champions League appearances. Ospina has 14 Champions League appearances but, perhaps more crucially, 90 caps for Colombia including two World Cup appearances.
“We have already sold Fabri to 6 million euros, I will not give back the money we received, Tolga [Zengin] is suffice for me,” Senol Gunes, the Besiktas manager told Fotomac.
Although Ospina only has one year left on his Arsenal contract, €5m for a World Cup keeper who has not yet turned 30 is an incredibly reasonable price, no matter what you think of th player. I’m far from his biggest fan and even I know that’s a bargain basement tag.
The Turks also reportedly baulked at Ospina’s €3m-a-season wage demands which makes you wonder what, exactly, had been agreed for the papers to claim this deal was ‘done’ €3m is roughly £2.67m which works out at around £51kpw. At Arsenal, Dave earns £40kpw.
The €5m figure is said to have sat ‘quite uncomfortably’ with Besiktas’ president, Fikret Oman with the report from Turkey calling it ‘astronomical’.
Arsenal paid £3.6m for the Colombian in 2014 when transfer fees were significantly less stupid.
Besiktas have never paid more than £7.2m for a player, an amount they paid for Rodrigo Tabata.