"We want him to stay" - Barcelona president Joan Laporta says club want veteran star to stay with Catalan side beyond this season
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has claimed that he wants Wojciech Szczęsny to stay at the club beyond this season. The Polish keeper has played a key role in the Catalan giants' success this season.
Szczęsny announced his retirement from the game at the end of the 2023-24 season after his deal with Juventus expired. However, he made a remarkable comeback when Barcelona needed a keeper to fill in for injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The former Arsenal keeper has enjoyed a brilliant season for Hansi Flick's side, helping the Blaugrana win three trophies. The Polish keeper's current deal at the Camp Nou expires this summer, and there is still no update regarding an extension.
Barca president Joan Laporta has admitted that he wants the 35-year-old to stay at the club beyond this season. He said, as quoted by Reshad Rahman on X:
“We want Szczesny to stay. The other day he was celebrating the victory while smoking a cigar. I saw he wanted to stay. We also have good goalkeepers in the reserve team and in the youth team."
Szczęsny spent a big chunk of his career at Arsenal, where he joined in 2006 as a youngster and left in 2017. He joined Juventus in 2017 and left the Old Lady in 2024.
Hansi Flick names the area where Barcelona can improve after winning LaLiga
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has claimed that his side has room for improvement in one particular department. The German manager has claimed that the forwards contribute a lot more defensively. The former Bayern Munich manager said, as quoted by Barca Universal on X:
"Defense is something we can improve. It's not about the last defensive line. It starts with the forwards. We need a compact system. I feel like when we make a mistake, we talk about it halfway through, and it's corrected halfway through."
Hansi Flick has enjoyed a phenomenal debut season in charge of Barcelona since taking over at the club last summer. The Blaugrana have won the LaLiga title, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de España under his tutelage this season.
The Catalan side have secured 85 points in 36 league games, scoring a total of 97 goals in the process. They have conceded 36 goals in LaLiga so far, which is pretty solid, but Flick seems to be looking for more from his side.