Arsenal price tag could scupper Besiktas move for Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina

Besiktas' attempts to agree a summer deal for David Ospina could be scuppered after club president Fikret Orman admitted that his hefty price tag may force them to look elsewhere. The Colombian goalkeeper, who crucially saved a shootout penalty during his country's Copa America Centenario quarter-final victory over Peru in New Jersey on Saturday night (18 June), is expected to leave Arsenal over the coming months in search of more regular first-team football.

After battling with Wojciech Szczesny for the number-one spot during his first campaign in English football following a £3 million ($4.4m) move from French club Nice, Ospina was relegated to a more permanent back-up role following the arrival of Petr Cech from Chelsea last year.

The 27-year-old went on to make just four starts in the Premier League, all of which came after his rival had been ruled out with a calf problem in March. He appeared a further eight times in the cup competitions but was strongly criticised for a calamitous error that led to the Gunners' shock 3-2 defeat to Olympiacos during the group stages of the Champions League.

Super Lig champions Besiktas, recently linked with a move for Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, wanted to sign the player during the January transfer window and sporting director Gokhan Keskin reaffirmed their interest during an interview with Turkish radio station Radyospor earlier this month. It is not clear how much Arsenal are currently demanding for Ospina, although the figure is clearly causing some consternation in Istanbul.

"Arsenal want a lot for him, so we may have to look for alternatives," Orman was quoted as saying by The Mirror and Turkish Football.

He later added: "I do want Ospina and we are going to get a foreign keeper."

Arsenal's willingness to part with Ospina could largely depend upon the future of Szczesny, who spent last season on loan with Roma and has been persistently linked with another temporary switch to the Stadio Olimpico. Despite manager Luciano Spalletti's insistence that they still want to sign the Polish international, The Guardian claims that the Giallorossi are struggling to put forward an acceptable offer.

When asked if he would be staying in north London next term, Ospina recently told The Mail: "I don't know, I don't know what's going to happen. Now I want to continue focusing on the Copa America. We will see what's going to happen."

The 2001 winners Colombia return to action at the Copa America on Thursday (23 June) for a semi-final clash against holders Chile in Chicago. Szczesny, meanwhile, will hope to recover from injury in time for Poland's Euro 2016 Group C finale against Ukraine tomorrow. He started the opening victory over Northern Ireland but suffered a thigh problem that ruled him out of the goalless draw with Germany.