After several years of faithful service to PSG, Keylor Navas will officially be a free agent on June 30th. But he might not remain so for long as a club is already in the running.
Time for farewells. Sunday evening saw several personalities bid farewell to Paris Saint-Germain during the match against Toulouse Football Club. Among them was the club’s longtime announcer, Michel Montana. After 26 years of loyal service, the voice of the Parc des Princes has departed. At the same time, some supporters bid adieu to Kylian Mbappé.
Set to be a free agent in June, the 25-year-old played his final home match, honored with a beautiful tifo in his honor. However, Keylor Navas (37 years old) did not receive the same tribute. Initially the starting goalkeeper upon his arrival, the former Real Madrid player quickly impressed before losing his place to the young and promising Gianluigi Donnarumma. It was a tough demotion for the San Isidro native.
Last year, he was loaned out for six months to Nottingham Forest to get regular playing time and relieve pressure on “Gigio.” Upon his return last summer, Navas was approached by several clubs, including Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. With Donnarumma confirmed as the No. 1 by Luis Enrique and the arrival of Arnau Tenas, it was speculated he would depart.
MLS Courting Navas
However, he ultimately stayed in Paris. For his final year, he was used in only 5 matches. Specifically, he played 2 Coupe de France games and 3 in Ligue 1 (against Lille, Reims, and Le Havre). It was expected he would feature against Toulouse FC on Sunday, especially after he officially announced his departure from PSG the day before. “Every second spent at the Parc des Princes has been wonderful. Thankfully, I have always felt their affection and support. It was an honor to defend this badge in this incredible stadium.
I still have goals to achieve, but I didn’t want to miss the chance to say goodbye to what was my home.” He would have liked to bid farewell by playing, but Luis Enrique, unaware that Navas was playing his final match at the Parc des Princes, preferred to field Arnau Tenas instead. Nonetheless, the Costa Rican footballer was able to celebrate the title with his team and the fans, who applauded him. He still has 3 matches left with PSG before leaving the club definitively as a free agent on June 30th.
This hasn’t escaped the attention of a club enticed by his top-level experience and qualities. Indeed, according to El Chiriguinto, San Diego FC is in the mix. The club, set to grace MLS pitches in 2025, is also courting several of his former Madrid teammates, namely Sergio Ramos, Nacho, and Luka Modric. Whether Keylor Navas will be won over remains to be seen.
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