Wojciech Szczesny Returns from Retirement to Sign with Barcelona as Emergency Goalkeeper

Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is set to join Barcelona as an emergency replacement after reaching an agreement with the club.

The former Arsenal player had planned to retire following the end of his contract at Juventus but will now return to the pitch with Barcelona.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the deal comes after a serious knee injury sidelined Barcelona’s starting goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, for the rest of the season.

Ter Stegen, 32, was stretchered off during Barcelona’s 5-1 victory over Villarreal, and manager Hansi Flick quickly recognized it as a “huge injury,” as he stated to DAZN.

The German international has torn the patellar tendon in his right knee, which connects the kneecap to the shinbone.

Barcelona is reportedly preparing to officially sign former Gunner Wojciech Szczesny on a one-year contract as he comes out of retirement.

A medical examination is scheduled to take place in Spain later this week before he joins Hansi Flick’s squad.

The club will also be able to pay him up to 80 percent of Ter Stegen’s £7.5 million salary.

The 34-year-old Szczesny, who has 84 caps for Poland, made 200 appearances for Juventus over seven years after transferring from Arsenal for £12.5 million.