Naples and Ospina: it is about the renewal, for Spalletti it is fundamental

On Saturday at the Grande Torino stadium, and also in front of the TV, many wondered what coach Luciano Spalletti and his goalkeeper David Ospina had to say to each other for most of the first half. No tension, but the desire to explain and understand each other. Simply because the goalkeeper is the first game builder and the Tuscan coach does not move an inch on this, as he also explained in the aftermath of Meret’s “heavy” mistake in Empoli, for which he took responsibility: ” The goalkeeper must not only save, but also build, start the action as the defenders do, because now all the teams, the young coaches in Italy, as well as abroad, all do the same way, they come on you and do the same. ‘man against man, it is not possible to start the action in an easy way, it takes a good goalkeeper with his feet. And in improving this quality the goalkeeper can make mistakes “.

Colombian director

–

Three clues prove it. If in the run-off with Alex Meret that has lasted for four years, from Ancelotti first to Gattuso then, up to Spalletti in the end it has always been the Colombian who prevailed, it will mean something. And it is no coincidence that the same technician, without diminishing Meret’s value, has spent publicly and also with the club to underline his esteem for the Colombian goalkeeper, who was also decisive in Turin with a great blow to the back at the start of the match. on an angled head turn of Gallo Belotti. And in addition to parrying with his feet, he was able to make the team run from below, just as the coach wants.

What numbers

–

After all, the Serie A statistics show that Ospina with 81.02% of successful passes is the third goalkeeper in Serie A, just behind Handanovic and Strakosha. And among other things, with the twelfth clean sheet in the league, he allowed Napoli to return to being the best defense in the league, after the disasters against Fiorentina and Empoli.

The future

–

Spalletti asks for the reconfirmation of the 33-year-old Colombian who is about to expire his contract. The club still took only a few timid steps, also because it had set itself in general not to address the renewal issue if the championship had not ended first. But now that the goal has been achieved we can begin to go into detail. In recent days in the Colombian media Lucas Jaramillo, the agent of the goalkeeper, underlined: “For now everything is the same, there are several discussions underway but we have to wait a little longer. David will free himself on a free transfer and it is a great advantage, it gives us the opportunity to choose and we have to make the best decision. ”

The contract

–

In reality this is not a closure at Napoli and the managers know it well, given that behind the scenes a minimum of discussion is resumed. The basic problem is economic, because Ospina asks for at least the confirmation of the current contract, with a net engagement of 2 million. An expense that this time would be higher gross for the club than on the renewal could no longer apply the tax deductions provided for in the growth decree and exploited in the contract drawn up in 2019, after the redemption of the card from Arsenal. But there are margins to discuss, with Naples which intends to extend the contract also with Meret (expiring in 2023). However, for such a decision, the direct intervention of President Aurelio De Laurentiis will probably also be needed, which could prove decisive. Ospina in Naples is doing well and is still motivated to stay. We will soon know if that will be the case.