In a surprising development, Barcelona are reportedly considering Wojciech Szczęsny as a potential replacement for their injured goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen. The German shot-stopper is set to miss the entire season due to a complete rupture of his patellar tendon, leaving the Catalan club in search of a suitable stand-in.
According to Spanish media outlet El Chiringuito TV (via Calciomercato), Szczęsny, who recently announced his retirement from football, has emerged as a strong candidate for the position. This consideration comes as Barcelona weighs the option of relying on their second-choice goalkeeper, Inaki Pena, for the remainder of the season.
The list of alternatives for Barcelona includes other experienced goalkeepers such as Keylor Navas, Jordi Masip, Edgar Badia, and Loris Karius. However, the potential return of Szczęsny to professional football would be nothing short of sensational.
If Barcelona decides to pursue Szczęsny, they face the challenge of convincing the 34-year-old Polish goalkeeper to reverse his retirement decision, which he announced just weeks ago. This task is further complicated by the need for an immediate return to top-level competition.
Interestingly, Barcelona fans have already begun a social media campaign, particularly on Instagram, attempting to persuade the former Juventus, Roma, and Arsenal goalkeeper to consider the move.
Szczęsny’s recent farewell to Juventus fans during the match against Napoli highlighted his contentment with retirement. He expressed feeling at home and admitted to experiencing some pre-match stress, but overall conveyed satisfaction with his decision to step away from professional football.
The Polish goalkeeper also mentioned his continued support for his former Juventus teammates, watching all their matches as their “number one fan.” When asked about potentially returning to Juventus in some capacity, Szczęsny firmly stated it was too soon to consider, emphasizing his current status as a retired player.
