Arsenal rocked as South American decides to quit Emirates

And while the Colombian is expected to start against Hull City in an FA Cup clash this weekend, Ospina is demanding regular playing time and will seek an exit come June.

Ospina was central to Arsenal’s resurgence last season when helping the club pick up more points than any other Premier League team in the games he played.

But with Mertesacker’s place as a certain starter in doubt, Cech could take the lead role.

“It was a very, very hard decision for me [to sign Cech] because I rate Ospina highly”, he said.

In his few rare outings this season, Ospina’s form has understandably dipped – he most notably attracted criticism for dropping a corner into his own net during September’s 3-2 Champions League defeat at home to Olympiacos.

But it is believed he wants to stay in England, with the Gunners likely to demand a £5million fee for him.

It’s split the fans at the bar, who don’t agree that a 33-year-old or a goalkeeper should wear the armband and they’ve argued that there’s better candidates out there, including current vice captain Per Mertesacker and his defensive partner Laurent Koscielny.

Cech has been a key performer at the Emirates Stadium since moving from Stamford Bridge during the summer, and his consistency between the sticks has been pivotal in establishing Arsenal as credible title contenders.

Wenger could be set for a hard summer in the goalkeeping department although Szczesny’s Arsenal future is less clear. Just because you’re a long-serving player doesn’t necessarily make you captain material.