Alberto Zapater finalizes negotiations to extend his career as a professional footballer in Canada, more precisely in the Atletico Ottawa. It is a branch of Atlético de Madrid in the North American country, integrated into the network of franchises that the Madrid club also owns, controls and manages in Mexico (Atlético de San Luis) or that it also owned in India (Atlético Kolkata).

Zapater thus found an ideal solution for his objectives, in which he prioritized the sporting aspect, but also the personal and family aspect, by playing in a country that would allow him to develop the education and training of his children and to have a certain social and cultural dimension. comfort. Canada and Ottawa, where these links with timeshare ownership and the conglomerate of clubs to which Zaragoza belongs are rooted, will be able to facilitate it, even if the proposal has not obtained their approval. Zapater through the Aragonese club, where he closed a stage three weeks ago.

The operation is not yet sealed. Zapater has had the offer for two weeks, during which time he has studied it, but it has not yet been put up for auction nor the contracts signed. The footballer also has no date to travel to Canada, where the season is still underway. Anyway, the general conditions of the proposals are to the taste of the Aragonese player in every sense (sporting, family, economic…) and in the coming days, barring unforeseen circumstances, there will be an outcome that will mean a new international experience for Zapater, following in his footsteps Italy with Genoa, Portugal with Sporting Club and in Russia, at Lokomotiv Moscow, the stage preceding his return to Zaragoza during the 2016 season.

Alberto Zapater said goodbye in style to the club of his life on May 26, on the last day of the championship against Tenerife and as part of a great tribute to Zaragoza fans. After that, he chose to give himself a few days of reflection, always with the desire to spend his last rounds in professional football and to continue to be active in a foreign league. It will be in Canada, in the Canadian Premier League. A competition consisting of eight teams, which is played in four rounds and continues, does not end until October, so Zapater, if his signing is officially closed, will immediately join the competition.

Atlético Ottawa, also owned by Canadian businessman Jeff Hunt, has a sports structure governed by Atlético de Madrid, its parent club. His coach is Carlos González, a classic of his formative football, where, for example, he trained Víctor Mollejo. Zapater will meet several Spanish footballers in the locker room, many of whom trained at Atlético, like Miguel Acosta or Diego Espejo.

Ottawa is the capital of Canada and has a metropolitan area of ​​more than two million inhabitants, on the border of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, in the southeast of the country. English and French bilingualism predominates in the city. It's modern, very developed, green and clean. All these factors ended up convincing Zapater that there his football has another stage and his family a good opportunity. New motivation to continue playing professional football.