Barcelona have already lined up their long-term replacement for Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, it has been claimed.
The La Liga giants have been forced to make an emergency signing after goalkeeper Ter Stegen suffered a ruptured patella tendon during a victory against Villarreal on Sunday.
With the Germany international having undergone surgery and likely to miss a substantial chunk of the campaign, Barcelona look set to sign ex-Arsenal and Juventus stopper Wojciech Szczesny on a short term deal.
Advert
Despite announcing his decision to retire back in August, Szczesny is set to arrive in Barcelona on Thursday to undergo a medical.
“I have a lot of respect for Barca’s history, it is one of the best clubs in the world,” Szczesny told Spanish newspaper Sport.
“I understand the difficult situation that has arisen for them after Marc-Andre Ter Stegen’s injury and I think it would be disrespectful of me not to consider this option.”
Advert
While Szczesny has been selected as a short term replacement, Barcelona-based journalist Fernando Polo has claimed that Hansi Flick’s side have identified Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa as a long-term option.
The Portugal international, who has been linked with Manchester United in the past, is allegedly very popular with members of the Barcelona board and the club may consider his signature next summer.
Speaking after his side’s 1-0 win over Getafe on Wednesday evening, Barca head coach Flick was asked about the arrival of a new goalkeeper.
Advert
“I’m only talking about the players I have,” Flick said.
“Inaki [Pena] is our number one goalkeeper and we’re very happy with him. That’s all I can say.
“Inaki is 25 years old, but the other goalkeepers are very young. We need more experience and that’s why we’re talking about it. We’ve talked about it and discussed it, and we’ll have to decide.”
Topics: Barcelona, Marc Andre Ter Stegen, Arsenal, La Liga
Chris Byfield