FC Barcelona does not rule out addressing the renewal of Iñaki Peña soon

The FC Barcelona is slowly starting to breathe a bit more easily when it comes to the performance of Iñaki Peña as an alternative to fill in for the long-term absence of the regular starting goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, whose injury (complete rupture of the patellar tendon in the right knee) has sparked a debate about who should be the team's starting goalkeeper, especially now with the addition of an experienced name like Wojciech Szczęsny, who also emerges as a strong contender based on his vast experience. 

However, gradually and probably thanks to the confidence of Hansi Flick, Iñaki Peña has had assertive performances that have been dispelling doubts about his ability. One of the most outstanding displays of the Alicante-born player as FC Barcelona's goalkeeper came in the last Clásico against Real Madrid (0-4), where the former Galatasaray player made some providential saves, repeatedly denying Kylian Mbappé, the main offensive threat of the Madrid side, in one-on-one situations.

Furthermore, a not insignificant detail that has strangely gone unnoticed is how Iñaki Peña has adapted to the new style of play that Barça under Hansi Flick has been employing, with a very high defensive line constantly looking to catch opponents offside, requiring the Alicante-born goalkeeper to be more attentive on the goal line to come out and intercept balls outside his penalty area. In this regard, the '23' has been steadily improving, demonstrating considerable skill and quickness in rushing out to cut off balls that bypass the defense, doing so with good timing.

FC Barcelona reportedly open to renewing Iñaki Peña's contract

At this point, the positive feelings regarding the progress of Iñaki Peña are evident, to the extent that, as stated by 'Mundo Deportivo', FC Barcelona is not ruling out beginning negotiations to renew the contract of the Alicante goalkeeper, which expires on June 30, 2026. While initial talks for this renewal have not yet commenced, both the club and the player's entourage understand that they will eventually need to sit down and discuss this extension, and all signs point to a potential agreement, given that the homegrown player seems delighted with his role and willing to continue wearing the Blaugrana jersey.

Moreover, if this trajectory is maintained and considering Ter Stegen's injury, Iñaki Peña should be the starter for the remainder of this 2024-25 season and possibly part of the next (2025-26), a period that would allow him to solidify his position within the club's sporting structure and provide strong arguments to challenge for the starting position against 'MATS' in the future. Additionally, he could position himself as the strongest candidate to guard the Barça goal after the eventual departure of the German in the near future.

This potential renewal, driven by Hansi Flick's request, according to 'MD', would undoubtedly be a true vote of confidence for Iñaki Peña, who faced a past summer transfer window during which there were speculations about his exit from the club. Various sources suggested that, considering the need to secure a starting position in a top-tier team, the goalkeeper was considering other options. However, if this declaration of intent from the Catalan club materializes in a potential renewal, it would be clear evidence that Barcelona trusts him as a candidate to strengthen the goalkeeping position, a recognition he has earned through increasingly consistent performances.