Wojciech Szczesny contract with Barcelona: salary, years, details...

Barcelona are poised to persuade Wojciech Szczesny out of retirement to relieve their goalkeeping crisis, in the wake of Marc-André ter Stegen’s season-ending knee injury. Szczesny, 34, is due in Catalonia today to undergo a Barça medical, before signing a deal with the Blaugrana until June 30, 2025.

When could Szczesny make his Barcelona debut?

The Pole, who hung up his gloves after playing for his country at Euro 2024 this summer, is expected to use the upcoming international break, which begins in a week’s time, to ready himself for his Barça debut. If all goes to plan, Szczesny will make his first appearance for the Catalan giants on October 20, when Hansi Flick’s men host Sevilla in LaLiga.

How can Barça sign Szczesny if they’re over salary cap?

Despite being over their LaLiga salary limit, Barça have been permitted to bring Szczesny in thanks to a league rule that offers clubs financial leeway to replace an injured player. Regardless of their wage-cap status, the club are allowed to pay the incoming keeper a salary up to 80% as great as Ter Stegen’s.

The expected completion of Barça’s move for Szczesny comes a week after Ter Stegen ruptured his right patellar tendon during a 5-1 LaLiga win over Villarreal. The German, who underwent surgery immediately after his diagnosis, is expected to be out of action for around eight to nine months.

Barça chiefs had considered handing the gloves to Ter Stegen’s understudy, Iñaki Peña, but finally decided this was too risky a strategy. Club bosses were mindful that the back-up to Peña would have been extremely youthful and inexperienced - 18-year-old David Kochen, who is injured at the moment, and 20-year-old Ander Astralaga would have been the options. What’s more, Peña has failed to make the most of the opportunities he has been given. Last season, he performed inconsistently when called upon to replace Ter Stegen.

How much will Szczesny earn at Barcelona?

Szczesny, a well-built keeper with a lengthy arm span - he’s 6ft 5in and 190 lbs - has well over 500 club games on his resumé. Most notably, he had a five-year spell at Premier League club Arsenal, before spending seven seasons with Italians Juventus.

Having opted to leave Juve and retire at the end of last season, he will now have to repay the Turin side part of the pay-off he received if he finalises his transfer to Barça. According to a clause in the agreement he reached with Juve, he has to hand back €2 million ($2.2 million) if he comes out of retirement.

At Barça, the indications are that Szczesny is to be given a salary of around €3 million ($3.3 million) before tax.