Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny from Barcelona has confirmed that he still has to accept a contract offer from the club, whereby his current deal ends at the end of the season. The Polish veteran was seen by emotion at the end of the El Clasico after the victory of Barcelona over Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old retired last year in August after leaving Juventus at the end of his deal, but decided to return to action after a call from Barcelona. That was to compensate the injury to Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and in January Hansi Flick decided to make him the starter for Inaki Pena.
After the Clasico, Szczesny admitted, as reported, that he had a contract offer from Barcelona. However, he still has to make a decision to accept it.
“I am not hiding the fact that I was offered an extension of two years, but I have to decide with my family what the best is for us. I think I am to my family, to my wife, to make these decisions together, so I haven't taken it yet,” he told Canal+ as quoted by MD.
“Most decisions about my house were made by my wife, and I am not ashamed of that at all. I usually make the football, but it is a very unusual situation, because we were determined to come here for a year to reach our dreams and then return to playing golf. I will also decide in the coming weeks.
The latter is that Barcelona's plan was to return Ter Stegen as number one next season, with Szczesny as their back-up goalkeeper. That would see Pena, who only has a year left, probably moving to the starting door. The Blaugrana are interested in Joan Garcia van Espanyol, but when Szczesny is renewed, it is not going to tackle the goalkeeper position this summer.