Barcelona have found a solution to their goalkeeper crisis after seeing captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen pick up a nasty knee injury in their 5-1 win over Villarreal last month. They have recently announced the signing of Wojciech Szczesny to join as a free agent.
Wojciech Szczesny Move To Barcelona Influenced By Robert Lewandowski
How Did Lewandowski Inspired Szczesny To Join Barcelona?
The Spanish heavyweights have confirmed that the Polish goalkeeper has joined them for the rest of the 2024/25 season. He has put pen to paper for a short-term contract that will expire on June 30, 2025. That means this is going to be treated as a loan deal, with Szczesny having to earn a bigger contract beyond that tenure.
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As per Fabrizio Romano, Robert Lewandowski actually played a key role in helping his side bring in the shot-stopper as a free agent. The Polish goalkeeper had actually retired from professional football after leaving Juventus in the summer and failing to find an ideal suitor.
Romano insists that the veteran striker “was a factor” in convincing his fellow countryman to join him at Barcelona. Lewandowski had called Szczesny to tell him about Hansi Flick’s exciting project and how happy the players are with him, after which the goalkeeper agreed to the move.
How Does Szczesny Fit In At Barcelona?
The 34-year-old goalkeeper definitely brings a lot of experience to the Spanish club after having played for the likes of Juventus and Arsenal in his career. Romano also gave an update on his role in the current Barcelona squad, noting on his CaughtOffside blog: “He took 24 hours last week with his family, with his agents, then he accepted the contract. He will compete for the No.1 spot with Iñaki Peña and will play when Flick thinks it’s appropriate.”
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Szczesny kept 15 clean sheets in 35 Serie A appearances for Juventus last season and also featured in Euro 2024 for Poland, playing twice for them. He’ll be able to reunite with Lewandowski, who has been in smashing form for Barcelona this term by scoring nine goals in 10 appearances so far.
