In an interview with The Daily Mail published yesterday evening, Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has finally broken his silence on a potential move away from the Britannia Stadium this summer.
The Bosnian international has demonstrated a remarkable consistency as the Potters’ No.1 over the last five seasons, in that time winning the club’s Young Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year, Supporters’ Club Player of the Year and Player of the Year awards.
But he looks set to leave the Britannia outfit this summer. Negotiations over a contract extension are yet to get underway and his current deal is due to expire at the end of next season.
As This Is Futbol revealed last week, that’s attracted interest from Manchester United, who view the 27 year-old as a potential replacement for their Real Madrid-bound No.1 David De Gea. According to a separate report from The Daily Mail, he’s already agreed personal terms with the Spanish capital outfit.
Manager Mark Hughes’ decision to drop Begovic from his last three matchday squads in favour of prodigious understudy Jack Butland has further amplified rumours of a summer departure – as This Is Futbol revealed earlier this month.
But the former Portsmouth youngster has now had his say on the situation, telling The Mail; “My future? I couldn’t tell you 100 percent at the moment. But I’m at a certain stage of my career, I’ll be 28 this summer. I’ve played a lot of games and developed in the last five years at this club.
“We will sit down after the season ends and see where we want to take things going forward. I have a lot of respect for the manager, what he has done over the last couple of years has been great.
“But it’s about trying to be ambitious as possible, to win and compete for as much as possible because I’m going to be 28, not 20.
“I want to be part of a successful team and achieve things. I want to have some special things to look back on when I finish football. So that’s the situation; we will have an honest discussion and I’ll be very clear with my opinion and we’ll see what the options are on both sides,” he added.
“But it’s about trying to be ambitious as possible, to win and compete for as much as possible”
Well that rules out Liverpool then… Man Utd could do a LOT worse, and it would keep their grubby mitts off Cech.