Arsenal: Well, I guess that David Ospina’s future sorted

Petr Cech has stated that he wants to stay at Arsenal next year, revealing that he rejected interest from Napoli as he came to the decision. I guess, then, that that’s David Ospina’s future sorted.

When Arsenal signed Petr Cech in 2015, it was immediately assumed that he would be the starting goalkeeper. It had been a problem position ever since the days of David Seaman and Jens Lehmann in the early-to-mid 00s, and the acquisition of David Ospina a year prior had not solved it.

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Ospina was — and still is — a talented but flawed goalkeeper. An excellent shot-stopper with brilliant reflexes and agility, he pulled off some remarkable saves that suggested he was capable of much more than he was ever able to achieve.

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But with those moments of staggering brilliance came others of dumbfounding madness. Dropped crosses, poorly cleared shots from distances, foolish and risky distribution. Almost every pitfall of the modern goalkeeper bar shot-stopping, Ospina has modelled perfectly on more than one occasion in the four years that he has spent at the club. It was these moments that spurred Arsene Wenger into signing Cech, a goalkeeper who is the antithesis of Ospina, an experienced, reserved, non-flamboyant controller, rather than shot-stopper.

But Cech suffered a drop in form last season and the Gunners have been forced into action once more, signing Bernd Leno for £20 million, the man who, like Cech three years ago, will arrive at the Emirates as the assumed starter.

The move presumes the departure of one of Ospina or Cech, or both. Neither would be happy with their second-choice and third-choice tags and there is the opportunity to raise some funds from their exits.

But it seems as if Cech is happy to stay in north London:

"“Napoli were interested in me, but my future is at Arsenal and I do not think about changing clubs. I still have a year of my contract with Arsenal, the only thing I want to think about is fighting for a starting position.”"

Such comments confirm the interest from Napoli that had been rumoured and obviously prove that Cech wants to stay at the club. Ospina, meanwhile, was far coyer when asked about his own future:

"“I’m now fully concentrated on national team. I know that Arsenal signed new goalkeeper, but I’m now focused on national team and after the World Cup I will think what to do next.”"

It is impossible for both players to stay and the odds just massively shortened on Cech leaving with his announcement.

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It seems, then, that Ospina’s future has been sorted, even if he has had very little to do with it. It would, I believe, be a great surprise to see him in the squad next season.