Barcelona have reached a verbal agreement to sign Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny as a free agent. This move comes following the long-term injury to the club’s captain, Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The German goalkeeper is expected to be sidelined for 7-8 months due to a knee injury, forcing Barcelona to seek an immediate replacement.
🔄 (SZCZĘSNY): Wojciech Szczęsny has given his yes to the offer Barcelona sent to him yesterday. He is very close to joining Barça until the end of the season. While waiting to finalise the details, the Polish keeper must also solve his contractual situation with Juventus.#FCB… pic.twitter.com/U3n3JDGlMV
— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) September 25, 2024
Szczesny, who had announced his retirement last month, has reportedly accepted the offer from Barcelona made earlier this week. The 34-year-old is set to undergo a medical and finalize the deal in the coming days. However, there are still some formalities to resolve, as Szczęsny’s former club Juventus, had included a clause in his contract that could lead to a fine if he joined another club within a specific time frame after his retirement. Barcelona will need to negotiate with Juve to potentially avoid or reduce the penalty fee.
Barcelona, meanwhile, are working within La Liga regulations that allow them to use 80% of ter Stegen’s salary to register a new player. This gives the club around €7 million to facilitate Szczesny’s registration. With the Polish goalkeeper return to the pitch now imminent, he will be tasked with filling a crucial role in Barcelona’s squad as the Catalans aim high in their domestic and European campaigns.