In a shocking move, Barcelona has approached retired Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny’s agents to discuss potential terms, despite his announcement of retirement this summer.
The Spanish giants are looking for a replacement for injured goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who faces months on the sidelines with a knee injury.
*Barcelona’s Goalkeeper Dilemma
With the summer transfer window closed and the next window not opening until January 1, Barcelona is forced to look at free agents for an immediate solution.
Szczesny, who spent seven years with Juventus and made 252 appearances for the club, stands out as the ideal option.
*Other Contenders
While Szczesny is Barcelona’s top choice, other goalkeepers are also being considered including Keylor Navas, an seasoned goalkeeper with experience in La Liga.
Why Barca are scouting for a new goalie
Barcelona is on the hunt for a new goalkeeper, and it’s not because their current goalie, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, is leaving.
Instead, they want a stop-gap solution ter Stegen long-term injury which sees him likely to be action for the entire season.
The Catalonia club currently sit atop the La Liga table, with 18 points.
Wojciech Szczęsny’s career file
Wojciech Szczęsny was born on April 18, 1990, in Warsaw, Poland.
His father, Maciej Szczęsny, was a renowned Polish goalkeeper who played for Legia Warsaw and the Polish national team.
Szczęsny began his football journey at Legia Warsaw’s youth academy in 2004. Under the guidance of his father and experienced coaches, he honed his goalkeeping skills.
Hie impressive performances at youth level caught the attention of former Arsenal’s first-team manager, Arsène Wenger.
He was soon promoted to the senior squad, making his professional debut in 2009.
His sterling time at Arsenal earned him two FA Cup titles and a joint Premier League Golden Glove award.
In 2017, he made a pivotal move to Juventus, where he secured four Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia trophies, and a Supercoppa Italiana victory.
Notably, he became the youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in the Champions League at just 18 years and 342 days.
With 16 clean sheets, Szczęsny also topped the 2013-2014 Premier League season.
