Thursday, 28th August, 2014
Former Arsenal number one Manuel Almunia is set to announce his retirement after a heart condition was detected in a routine medical check-up.
The Spaniard spent the last two seasons at Watford and left the club this summer after his contract expired.
He was close to joining Serie A side Cagliari earlier this month, but a problem was detected in his medical.
The Italian club decided to back out after Almunia’s medical examinations revealed a life-threatening heart disorder.
"I can confirm that Manuel Almunia failed a medical due to a heart condition", Cagliari spokesman Alessandro Steri told Press Association Sport.
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"Further tests done have revealed he is suffering from an apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)."
HCM is a life-threatening genetic disorder and can cause sudden death.
Almunia started his career in Spain with Osasuna in 1999. He joined Arsenal in 2004 and made 170 appearances for the club before leaving in 2012.
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