The English Premier League’s Arsenal FC is looking to purchase Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina from OGC Nice in France, British media reported on Wednesday.
The London side is eying the World Cup standout as a backup for current starter Wojciech Szczesny, according to England’s Daily Mirror newspaper.
To purchase Ospina, Arsenal would have to fork out around $5.13 million for the keeper, after losing their original backup, Lukasz Fabianski, to Swansea, the Mirror reported.
Arsenal first considered the 25-year-old Colombian before the start of the World Cup, but wanted to see how he would perform on the world’s biggest stage.
Ospina ended up playing in all five games for “Los Cafeteros,” anchoring a backline that allowed only four goals the entire tournament, along with two shutouts. If picked up, Ospina would be a strong backup, and even a likely candidate to compete with Szczesny for the starting spot.
Colombia finished 5th place overall in the World Cup after being eliminated by Brazil in the quarterfinals 1-2; however, Brazil was swiftly done away with in the semifinals, being crushed by Germany 7-1, much to the delight of Colombian fans everywhere.
MORE: Colombia takes 5th place in the World Cup
Ospina spent six years in France with the floundering Nice club, but according to British newspaper the Daily Mail, he is “keen on a move to the Gunners [Arsenal].”
Sources
- Arsenal transfer radar turns to David Ospina of Colombia as they search for a new keeper (Daily Mirror)
- David Ospina Arsenal transfer could depend on his World Cup displays with Colombia (Daily Mirror)
- Arsenal step up attempts to sign Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina from Nice (Daily Mail)
