At 38, Keylor Navas shows no signs of slowing down – the legendary goalkeeper, who once played for Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, has now left Argentina's Newell's Old Boys to join Mexico's Pumas UNAM. This somewhat hasty breakup has already stirred up quite a storm in the football world.
Newell's Old Boys made no secret of defending the "early termination" in their official announcement, stating bluntly that "the team must hold the bottom line of the collective framework": "Every step we take is to safeguard the team's beliefs. Commitment, professionalism, and reverence for the club's values are foundations that must never be compromised." The words are filled with a tough stance that "the team comes before the individual."
It is reported that Newell's will receive $1.9 million in compensation, with an additional $100,000 available if certain clauses are triggered. However, the focus of this deal has always been on the tense undercurrents before the breakup – according to media reports, the Costa Rican goalkeeper, who made 120 appearances for the team, suddenly refused to be included in the squad before the match against Banfield, without any prior warning. This move was seen as a clear sign that his heart was no longer in the club, adding a touch of drama to the departure.
Now, Navas heads to the Mexican league amid controversy, while Newell's Old Boys have drawn a line under the matter in the name of "upholding the team," leaving behind an unfinished topic of conversation in football circles.
