La Liga leaders Barcelona are pushing to sign former Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny as an emergency acquisition to replace Marc-Andre ter Stegen. According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Los Blaugranas have asked for special permission from La Liga to complete the ex-Poland international’s arrival by the start of next week.
Szczesny parted with Juventus in the summer as the club deemed him surplus to requirements after Michele Di Gregorio’s switch from Monza. Instead of moving to the riches of Saudi Arabia or settling for a lower-profile team in Serie A, the 34-year-old shockingly chose to retire from football.
However, Barcelona are hellbent on bringing him out of retirement. Hansi Flick lost first-choice keeper Ter Stegen to a season-ending knee injury against Villarreal last weekend. Left with a sizeable void between the sticks, the Spaniards have identified Szczesny as a perfect low-cost solution.
The former Arsenal star spent seven years at Juventus, helping the club win three Serie A titles while establishing himself as one of the most dependable stoppers in Europe’s traditional top-five leagues. Barcelona would appreciate his services in times of dire emergency, but the deal remains complicated.
Despite agreeing on personal terms with Szczesny, the Catalan powerhouse must obtain special permission from La Liga to register his contract. They’ve filed a request, asking the league chiefs to activate the so-called ‘Article 77.’
It would allow Barcelona to use 80% of Ter Stegen’s salary to register the former Juventus stalwart. By the looks of things, Szczesny will return to football fields against his earlier expectations.
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