After reversing his retirement, a second prime is beginning.
Spain's 'Marca' reported on the 19th (Korean time) that "FC Barcelona is in negotiations to extend the contract of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny (35, Barcelona), and his stay is already considered certain."
Szczęsny was initially expected to leave Barcelona at the end of the 2024-25 season, but both the club and the player are showing a positive attitude towards extending the contract, making his stay more likely.
Szczęsny's joining Barcelona was somewhat unexpected. He had declared his retirement after finishing his contract with Juventus last summer. However, with Marc-André ter Stegen sidelined for the season due to a knee ligament tear, Barcelona urgently needed to find a new goalkeeper and reached out to the experienced Szczęsny. Ultimately, Szczęsny decided to come out of retirement and signed a one-year contract with Barcelona.
According to Marca, Barcelona highly values Szczęsny's performance and contribution to the team and wishes to continue their partnership with him. Barcelona's Director General Deco has already initiated negotiations with Szczęsny's agent, Joshua Burnett, and both sides have shown a positive attitude toward extending the contract.
Burnett noted that "the agreement on the contract extension won't be difficult. Szczęsny is happy at Barcelona, and the club is satisfied to have him on board," indicating a smooth negotiating atmosphere.
The contract extension currently under discussion is for either one or two years. Barcelona plans to first confirm a one-year extension and then consider adding another year based on performance.
The primary reason Barcelona wants to extend Szczęsny's contract is his outstanding performance. Head coach Hansi Flick has relied on Szczęsny as a starter since he joined the team, pushing Iñaki Peña to the bench.
Peña, who was expected to shine as a Barcelona youth product, lost his opportunity as Szczęsny demonstrated stable goalkeeping skills. Barcelona plans to use ter Stegen and Szczęsny as their primary and secondary goalkeepers next season, increasing the likelihood that Peña will seek a transfer for more playing time.
Currently, Barcelona views Szczęsny as an important resource even after ter Stegen returns from injury. Accordingly, they are considering operating the two veteran goalkeepers together next season.
If Barcelona ultimately extends Szczęsny's contract, the team will likely have fewer worries about the goalkeeper position for a while. Szczęsny is expected to play a significant role in maintaining Barcelona's defensive stability due to his experience and skills.
Now, attention is focused on when the negotiations will officially conclude. Once Barcelona finalizes its partnership with Szczęsny, he will be ready to securely guard Barcelona's goal alongside ter Stegen.
[OSEN]