Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) goalkeeper Keylor Navas has vouched to stay put in Paris until the end of his contract, stating that there’s no “other option”. Navas, who joined the Parisians in 2019, still has two years remaining on his contract (June 2024).
The Costa Rican was PSG’s first-choice goalkeeper in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, starting almost every game for the French giants. The situation changed last summer when Paris brought Italy shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma. In the 2021-22 season, coach Mauricio Pochettino regularly alternated between Navas and Donnarumma, depriving both of continuity.
With the 35-year-old entering the twilight of his career, there have been talks (via Fabrizio Romano) of a premature exit in the summer. Speaking to Costa Rican media YashinQuesada (via CulturePSG), Navas shot down such claims, adding that he would remain at Paris and continue fighting for his position. He said:
“Everything is clear, I am calm and focused on the selection. I must continue to work. We will see what happens in the future, I think it is difficult. I've always been a fighter and I like challenges... I have a two-year contract, I'm thinking about the national team and continuing in Paris, I don't see any other option.”
He also spoke about the competition with Donnarumma, admitting that he did not enjoy the uncertainty.
“In no team do they guarantee to play. When you know that you can start all the matches, it is normal that you don't like a situation like the one we had last year.”
Keylor Navas had a better record than Gianluigi Donnarumma for PSG in 2021-22
Italy international Gianluigi Donnarumma did not have the easiest of debut campaigns at PSG in the 2021-22 season. Thanks to Keylor Navas, he could not rest on his laurels and often ceded the spot to the former Real Madrid goalkeeper.
With Navas breathing down his neck, Donnarumma only made 23 appearances across competitions, conceding 23 goals and keeping nine clean sheets. To make matters worse, Donnarumma practically gifted Karim Benzema the opening goal in Madrid’s Champions League round of 16 comeback win (3-2 aggregate) over PSG.
Navas, on the other hand, took part in 26 games and kept 10 clean sheets. He also conceded 24 goals in 26 games, averaging 0.92 goals per game.