Barcelona Considers Signing Wojciech Szczesny as Emergency Goalkeeper

Barcelona Football Club is reportedly in discussions to sign former Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. This move comes as an emergency measure following the injury of their first-choice goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen, who has recently undergone surgery and will be out for several months. The club seeks to bolster their goalkeeping options with Szczesny as a prime target.

According to a source cited by ESPN, the negotiations between the Polish goalkeeper and the Catalan club are in advanced stages. Both parties aim to finalize a short-term contract that will see Szczesny at Camp Nou until the end of the current season. However, no formal agreement has been reached yet.

“I have a lot of respect for Barça’s history,” Szczesny stated to media outlets. “They are one of the best clubs in the world, and I understand the difficult situation they are in following Ter Stegen‘s injury. I think it would be disrespectful to not consider the option [of signing],” he added.

Szczesny, 34, has been a free agent since leaving Juventus at the end of last season. His potential move to Barcelona is facilitated by LaLiga rules, which allow clubs to sign free agents outside the transfer window if a serious injury occurs. Szczesny left Juventus after making two appearances at the European Championship this summer, where Poland was ousted during the group stage.

Before his stint at Juventus, Szczesny had a significant spell with Arsenal, his boyhood club in England. He also spent time on loan with Roma and Brentford. His extensive experience, including 252 appearances for Juventus, makes him a viable candidate to provide cover for the backup goalkeeper, Iñaki Peña.

Peña, who stepped in for Ter Stegen during a recent match against Villarreal, is expected to be Barcelona’s choice for their upcoming LaLiga match at the Olympic Stadium. The club faces imminent fixtures against other domestic and European opponents, emphasizing the urgency of expanding their goalkeeping lineup.