Definitive Goodbye to Iñaki Peña: Barça Monitors 3 Top Goalkeepers for Next Year

The long-term injury suffered by Barça's starting goalkeeper has had a significant impact on the team. Ter Stegen, indisputable under the posts, suffered a severe knee injury with a complete rupture of the patellar tendon. This injury has sidelined him for the rest of the current season.

Iñaki Peña, the eternal substitute for the German, saw his dream come true: the unfortunate injury of his teammate offered him the opportunity to be the starter. The "13" refused to leave Barça last summer, as he had no shortage of offers, with Betis and Sevilla showing interest in him. However, the youth academy player had the great goal of succeeding under the posts at Camp Nou.

His first matches alternated between commendable performances and certain errors. The sports management considered signing an experienced goalkeeper, and the chosen one was Szczęsny. The Pole had already retired in the summer, and Barça's offer brought him back to competition, and since then, he has taken the spot from Iñaki Peña.

Iñaki Peña: Uncertain Future

Hansi Flick, who had kept Iñaki Peña as the starter after Ter Stegen's injury, made a turnaround several weeks ago. The German decided to give the starting position to Szczęsny in all competitions, citing his experience in a long soccer career. It was a controversial decision considering that the Polish goalkeeper had made some serious and evident mistakes.

Iñaki Peña was relegated to the bench, and the Alicante native has been greatly affected by Flick's decision. The lack of confidence from the coach toward the youth academy goalkeeper is evident, and he could have his future away from Camp Nou. Barça would be looking for a goalkeeper to join Ter Stegen next season and has 3 names on the table.

The 3 Alternatives Barça Considers for the Goal

The culé sports management is clear that they need to strengthen their goalkeeping for the coming years and would have defined three possible candidates. Lucas Chevalier, Joan García, and Bart Verbruggen are the alternatives currently being considered. All 3 goalkeepers have great quality, and their youth means they have great potential for progression.

Lucas Chevalier, 23 years old, is one of the great promises of French soccer, showing his great quality at Lille. His market value is around 30M, and he is under contract with the French club until June 2027. Meanwhile, Joan García, 23 years old, is having a spectacular season at Espanyol, being the goalkeeper in the league with the most interventions.

His release clause is set at 30M, and Espanyol will not facilitate his departure as he is one of their current flagship players. Finally, Bart Verbruggen, a Dutch goalkeeper playing for Brighton, his good footwork and agility under the posts make him an interesting option. At 23 years old, Verbruggen is a serious alternative for Barça's goal, and his profile fits what Barça is looking for.