Barcelona open contract talks with 34-year-old veteran star – report | OneFootball

Wojciech Szczesny has been a revelation for FC Barcelona in recent weeks, with the 34-year-old shot-stopper proving to be a valuable addition to the squad.

Having taken over from Inaki Pena as the starting goalkeeper, the Pole has not lost a single game with Barcelona, keeping eight clean sheets in 14 appearances.

Brought in as an emergency solution after Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s serious injury, Szczesny only signed a short-term contract until the end of the season.

But his recent performances and the way he has adapted to the team have led the Catalans to consider keeping him at the club beyond the ongoing campaign.

Contract talks opened

Now, as per reports relayed by AS, Barcelona have now opened talks with Wojciech Szczesny to extend his contract and keep him at the club next season.

Having come out of retirement, the 34-year-old veteran has proven himself for the Blaugrana and has won over the coaching staff and the sporting management.

Renewal on the cards. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

It has changed Barça’s plans for the summer with the La Liga leaders now focusing on renewing Szczesny’s contract rather than entering the market for a new goalkeeper to provide cover for Ter Stegen.

Szczesny, for his part, is open to extending his stay at the Catalan outfit, which he confirmed in a recent interview, saying:

“If you asked me at the start of the season, I’d say I’ll be leaving Barça in June. But I love the time I‘ve spent here….”

“My family is happy, my son loves his school, my wife loves being here… I’m open to everything,” he added.

Szcezsny’s extension, if it goes through, could potentially lead to the departure of Inaki Pena, who has fallen out of favour and will have only one year left on his contract with Barcelona this summer.