Journalist Ekrem Konur has stated that Barcelona want to renew goalkeeper Inaki Pena’s contract. The catch, however, remains the fact that the stopper may consider leaving in search of first-team football.
Pena, 23, was named Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s understudy for the 2022-23 season after Neto Murara left for the Premier League side Bournemouth. The situation for the young stopper, however, isn’t ideal.
At 23 years of age, he wants to play regular first-team football, but it is well and truly established that Ter Stegen’s position is unassailable. As long as there is no injury or suspension per se, Pena won’t be getting any minutes for major events.
In that regard, the goalkeeper will indeed be considered for cup games such as Copa del Rey but early elimination may put his place in further jeopardy.
Pena, who started his career with the youth team of Alicante CF, joined Barcelona from Villarreal in 2012 at the tender age of 13. The 23-year-old starred in the 2017-18 UEFA Youth League final against Chelsea as Barcelona won the game 3-0.
Interestingly enough, he was one among five Barcelona players who were booked on the night.
A couple of weeks before the final, Pena had renewed with Barcelona for three seasons, with an option of a further two. In October 2020, Barcelona exercised their option of extending his deal until 2022.
During the first half of the 2021-22 season, Pena appeared in nine games for Barcelona B before being loaned out to Galatasary in January 2022 for the rest of the season. He returned to Barcelona at the end of the previous season and is yet to make a single appearance for the team this term.
