Wojciech Szczęsny nearing FC Barcelona Move amid contractual complications

Following the injury of Marc-André ter Stegen, FC Barcelona is closing in on signing Wojciech Szczęsny, the former Juventus goalkeeper, to fill the void left by the German’s season-ending injury.

Ter Stegen, who suffered a complete rupture of the right knee’s patellar tendon during a match against Villarreal, has undergone successful surgery, leaving Barça in need of a top-class replacement.

Szczęsny, who announced his retirement earlier this year, has emerged as the club’s preferred option, beating out other candidates like Stole Dimitrievski, Keylor Navas, and Iñaki Peña, who will step in as a temporary solution for Barcelona’s upcoming match against Getafe.

Initial negotiations between Szczęsny and Barcelona have reportedly gone well, thanks in part to efforts from Robert Lewandowski. However, a contractual clause with Juventus is holding up the deal.

When Szczęsny left Juventus, his contract was not a standard expiration, as it was originally set to run until 2025. Juventus included a clause requiring the Polish goalkeeper to pay a fee if he signed with another top European club soon after his retirement.

Now, before finalizing the move to Barça, Szczęsny must settle this financial obligation with Juventus.

While the exact amount is undisclosed, Barcelona awaits resolution of this issue before formally incorporating Szczęsny into their squad.

Despite not being guaranteed a starting role immediately, Szczęsny is reportedly excited about the project and confident in his ability to challenge for the number one spot once fully fit.