"Actually pulled a player from retirement" - Fans react as Barcelona have reportedly agreed deal to sign 34-year-old star
Many Barcelona fans have expressed their jubilation as the club have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to solve their recent goalkeeper crisis. It comes after Marc-Andre ter Stegen's season-ending injury against Villarreal on September 22.
Wojciech Szczesny is making a comeback from retirement to help the Catalan club in this time of crisis. The Polish goalkeeper retired from club football in 2024 after spending seven years at Juventus. He played 252 games for Vecchia Signora, conceding 233 goals while keeping 103 clean sheets across competitions.
Szczesny also helped Juventus win eight major trophies, including three Serie A titles. He was voted as Goalkeeper of the Season for the 2019-20 season.
According to a report by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Szczesny has agreed to join the Catalan club as a free agent. Barca will sign the Polish shot-stopper for one season, with medicals taking place in a few days.
Fans hopped on to X to share their opinion after the news broke out. Some popular reactions are as follows:
"HERE WE GO!!!!!! Barcelona actually pulled a player from retirement!!!!!" wrote a fan on X.
"What a signing!" raved another fan.
"Finallyyyyy, Barcelona is COOKING!!!!" celebrated one fan on X.
One fan even hailed Szczesny's signing as the club's greatest moment since their treble-winning season in 2015, tweeting:
"Greatest moment for my club since 2015 UCL"
"No wonder he protects the goal because his name is like a password," joked another fan.
"WE ARE COOKING/ WE FINALLY HAVE A GOOD KEEPER," announced another Barcelona faithful.
At Barcelona, Szczesny will be reunited with compatriot Robert Lewandowski. The two have shared the dressing room for the Polish national team for over a decade, playing 71 games together.
"I just hope that Marc recovers soon," - Wojciech Szczesny sends message to Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Wojciech Szczesny has sent a message to Marc-Andre Ter Stegen hoping for his quick recovery. The German suffered a nasty knock to his right knee during Barcelona's last La Liga game against Villarreal on September 22.
On the cusp of halftime, he backpedaled to catch a deep corner, falling awkwardly on the pitch. Teary-eyed and writhing in pain, he was stretchered away by the medical staff and was replaced by the club's second-choice goalkeeper Inaki Pena (45'+2).
The next day, the club released an official statement confirming that the German shot-stopper needed surgery on his right knee because of a ruptured patella tendon.
"Tests carried out on the first team player, Marc ter Stegen confirm that he has a complete rupture in the patella tendon in his right knee. On Monday afternoon he will undergo a surgical process and once complete a new update will be released," said the club's official statement.
According to @BarcaUniversal, Wojciech Szczesny has sent a message to Marc-Ander Ter Stegen wishing him the best. He said:
"I just hope that Marc recovers soon, he is a good friend and a great goalkeeper and I wish him the best. That's the only thing I can comment on."
Since arriving from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2014, Ter Stegen has played 420 games for Barca across competitions, keeping 175 clean sheets.