Profile Manuel Almunia

Personal information

Full name : Manuel Almunia Rivero
Date of birth : 19 May 1977
Place of birth : Pamplona, Spain
Height : 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Playing position : Goalkeeper
Current club : Arsenal
Number : 1
Senior career :
1997–1999 Osasuna B
1999–2000 Osasuna
1999–2000 Cartagena (loan)
2000–2001 Sabadell
2001–2004 Celta Vigo
2001–2002 Eibar (loan)
2002–2003 Recreativo Huelva (loan)
2003–2004 Albacete (loan)
2004– Arsenal

Club career

Early career

Born within Pamplona, Navarre, Almunia activated his senior career with Osasuna's reserve team within 1997, performing two seasons with the team within Segunda División B. He went onto towards spend two many seasons within the category, with Cartagena and Sabadell, attending the top flight within 2001–02, with Real Club Celta de Vigo.
However, curtly as soon as attending Celta, Almunia was loaned out towards Segunda División side Eibar, whereas he spent 2001–02 as first-choice goalkeeper. During the 2002–03 season, Celta loaned him out towards first-division club Recreativo de Huelva, whereas he performed understudy towards José Antonio Luque and César, alone making two league appearances. Almunia's debut within the former separation arrived onto 17 November 2002, consecutive a red card towards the latter, within a 0–3 defeat at Deportivo Alavés He otherwise replaced towards Celta, being loaned for the third and final moment, already towards Albacete Balompié onto 1 November 2003. He made his club debut the consecutive week, within a 1–0 loss at Málaga. Almunia achieved first-choice status, making a gross of 24 league impressions until the end of the season, whilst assisting Albacete cease 14th.

Arsenal

Almunia signed for Arsenal for an undisclosed fee onto 14 July 2004. His contravene out season was during the 2007/2008 season whereas he activated a lot games. He was granted the number one as soon as Jens Lehmann deserted for Stuttgart at former of the 2008–09 season. In 2008, Almunia signed a novel long-term contract with Arsenal. Doubt has been cast onto Almunia's persisted role within the squad consecutive the 2009–2010 season. Many mistakes ruled towards the social remarking that he ought be sold. He had a solid activate towards the season but his mistake against Al Azeemar stagnated Arsenal from holding a shower sheet. He also made a massive mistake towards give away Arsenal taking everybody three points at Birmingham. He was also at mistake when he failed towards punch the ball away against Liverpool but fortunately the toy ended 2-1 towards Arsenal. Despite everybody this he captained the side a lot times. Arsenal executive Arsène Wenger has publicly reported that he is glancing towards sweeten the protective rope up of the former eleven. This had exacerbated social speculation that Almunia shall be sold. He did retain a disadvantage against West ham within a 3-0 victory and kept a very detectable shower sheet against Hull City within a 3-0 victory overrall he kept again ten shower sheets.

2010–2011 season

Despite everybody the speculation that Almunia would be convinced, Arsène Wenger decided that as soon as having two £2,000,000 invitations denied for Mark Schwarzer that Almunia would keep the No. 1 jersey. He activated off the season against Liverpool whereas despite having a respectable toy, arrived below a number of criticism as soon as conceding a questionable goal from David N'Gog. He kept a clean-sheet against Blackpool, and had a powerful operation against Blackburn Rovers whereas he was the man of the match. He also had a respectable toy against Braga whereas he kept a shower sheet as the team won 6-0. Then he conceded three goals at house towards West Brom within a offend 3–2 house defeat onto 25 September, conceding a disadvantage (which he saved), allowing a tame shot slip across the alongside column, and caught out of grading for the third. Since otherwise Almunia has been replaced via the Polish goalkeeper duo Lukasz Fabianski and Wojciech Szczęsny. Almunia made a replace towards the team onto thirty January 2011 against Huddersfield within the FA Cup.

International career

Almunia has not performed within any international fits, and reported onto many than one occasion approximately his wish towards play for England, but alone provided that he did not obtain a call-up from the Euro 2008-winning Spain first. He was not branded up towards Spain's national team for Euro 2008 so the choice of performing for England is still available towards him.