With the peace of mind that comes from a job well done, Barça faces its last league match, which will take it to San Mamés this Sunday to face Athletic as the final stop in a great season in which the Azulgranas have won the Spanish Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, and LaLiga, proving themselves solid and superior to their eternal rival, Real Madrid. The bar is set high and, looking ahead to next season, there can be no let-up in performance, so work is already underway in the boardroom.
Deco has rolled up his sleeves and set to work on the departures needed to make room for necessary signings, mainly in defense. In addition, the Barça team has yet to officially seal important renewals such as those of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, De Jong, and goalkeeper Szczesny.
Szczesny’s renewal, the central issue
Szczesny arrived at Barça at a time of crisis and to take on a secondary role. However, he has become one of the stars of the season both on and off the field. The goalkeeper has been something of a talisman, as until the match against Borussia Dortmund, every game he started was a win. With such a great season, it is no surprise that his renewal is a priority for Deco.
A few weeks ago, Barça’s sporting director, Deco, said the renewal was a done deal. “He’s a very experienced goalkeeper. When we had the opportunity to sign him, one of those coincidences in football, he was retired and still had a contract with Juventus. We knew he had a lot to offer, but the credit goes to the player and the coach. We do our job and they are the ones who push. We are happy with him and he will surely continue with us,“ he admitted.
After winning the league title, Laporta spoke about goalkeeper Szczesny. ”We want him to stay. The other day he was celebrating the victory by smoking a cigar. I saw that he wanted to stay. We also have good goalkeepers in the reserve team and in the youth academy.”
However, it seems that the Polish goalkeeper is still undecided, saying that his decision will depend on what his wife decides, although he has some doubts about the matter. “I think if I extend my contract, it will be because I am convinced that I am a guarantee of quality on the bench next season. So I have to decide because this is also a new situation for me. I have to assess whether I am mentally capable of accepting it, of supporting Marc and helping him throughout the season,” said Tek.
Goalkeeper wanted
In addition to renewing the Polish goalkeeper’s contract, the club is also looking for alternatives on the market for the future. In this search, Barça has a long list of possibilities with a view to strengthening the team. In recent hours, a name has slipped onto this list of possible candidates: Dibu Martínez. This is according to information published by DSports, which points to the interest of Hansi Flick’s team in the 32-year-old goalkeeper, who has shown himself to be in top form between the sticks at Aston Villa. Despite this information, he does not seem to fit the profile of the goalkeeper Barça is looking for, given his age and high salary, for which they would have no limit. Emiliano Martínez has attracted the attention of Saudi Arabia, a destination where his salary demands can be met.