With another season done and dusted, Barcelona’s attention will turn to which players they need to offload in the summer and whom they can bring in to strengthen what is turning into quite the squad under Hansi Flick.
One area that still appears to need constant attention, however, is with regard to the club’s goalkeeping situation.
FC Barcelona V Villarreal CF - La Liga Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Club captain and Barca’s No.1, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, remains the custodian of choice, but much like when Victor Valdes was in his pomp, he doesn’t really have anyone to consistently challenge for the position.
Inaki Pena had certainly begun to improve before he was unceremoniously dumped by Hansi Flick, and even if we have to accept that the 26-year-old won’t continue his career with the club, the honest truth is he was never going to be a permanent replacement anyway.
FC Barcelona v Real Sociedad - La Liga EA Sports Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images
With Pena not in the picture and Ter Stegen still injured, tempting Wojciech Szczesny out of retirement wasn’t the worst idea in the world but neither was it the best.
The Pole came up with some brilliant goal saving moments in 24/25, though he was also found wanting in other areas.
FC Barcelona v FC Internazionale Milano - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Witness the chaos during the Benfica game and other instances where racing from his goal had calamitous consequences.
It may be with those games in mind that the custodian himself is considering finally calling time on his career for good.
At this point he apparently hasn’t made up his mind and to that end, the club need to start exploring alternatives.
In so doing, they have to be aware that buying a keeper who is happy playing second fiddle isn’t the type of business they need to be conducting at this juncture.
RCD Espanyol de Barcelona v UD Las Palmas - La Liga EA Sports Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Joan Garcia of Espanyol, who this time last year was interesting Arsenal, has been mentioned a number of times in dispatches recently, and with good reason.
A brilliant shot stopper, good with his feet and with reasonable distribution, he is ready-made to push Ter Stegen all the way.
However, it’s believed that he would prefer to play in the Premier League rather than cross the Catalan capital with the recently-crowned La Liga champions.
Another names in the frame are reportedly Lille’s Lucas Chevalier and Marcin Bulka, who currently plies his trade at Ligue 1 outfit Nice.
Paris Saint-Germain v OGC Nice - Ligue 1 McDonald’s Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
He was previously offered to the club in the past season by his agent, Pini Zahavi, who is known to have a very good relationship with Barcelona.
“As they say, there is a grain of truth in every rumour,” he told TVP Sport earlier this season about the links with Barca. “Of course, such rumours give me motivation, but I am currently focused on Nice and the season is still long.”
It’s also worth mentioning that he once trained at a Polish academy named Escola Varsovia, known as the ‘Masia of Warsaw,’ and who have an agreement with Barca regarding their best players.
Given that the club need to move quickly and Bulka’s price is believed to be below €20m, he may well be the right player at the right time and for the right money.