David Ospina Set to Leave Arsenal After Napoli Trigger Option to Buy Goalkeeper

Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina is expected to head back to Napoli on a permanent deal after the Serie A side decided to use their option to buy the keeper following his loan spell.

The Colombia international spent last season on loan at Napoli, where he made 24 appearances and kept eight clean sheets, with Carlo Ancelotti impressed by the 30-year-old during his temporary spell in Naples.

The good first impression is why they are looking to make the move permanent by securing his services on a long term basis. The deal would cost Napoli £3.5m, similar to the price Arsenal originally paid for him in 2014 from Nice and, according to ​the Sun, I Partenopei have triggered that option.

Last season he was sent to Napoli on loan after the Gunners signed German shot stopper Bernd Leno for £22.5m. Leno's arrival at the Emirates made competition for places a lot tougher, pushing Ospina down to third choice behind Leno and Petr Cech. 

With opportunities few and far between at the Premier League side, the move to Serie A allowed the Colombian to get more playing time, games he needed in order to remain first choice for his country.

Ospina featured in the Copa America for Colombia on Saturday, picking up a clean sheet in their 2-0 win over Argentina.

With Arsenal expected to lose Ospina to​ Napoli and ​Cech's retirement already confirmed, the north London side will have to look for a new back up goalkeeper to Leno. 

​Arsenal haven't been strongly linked with any goalkeepers recently and instead their top targets have been in wide areas. The Gunners have missed out on signing 25-year-old winger Yannick Carrasco and are still looking at their second choice target Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser, who is ​likely to stay at ​Bournemouth.