La Liga rivals are ready to further strengthen their squad with the addition of a Barcelona star looking for a move due to limited playing opportunities.
The club is pushing towards qualifying for Europe in 2025-2026 and sees this signing as part of their ambitious project.
The world of football can change quickly, and with their current goalkeeper leaving for Valencia, Celta Vigo sees this signing as key to finding a reliable goalkeeper quickly to execute their plans and vision.
The player is Inaki Pena, a Barcelona goalkeeper who has struggled for minutes despite showing his impressive talent, as reported by Fichajes.
Despite being highly rated by the coaching staff at Barcelona and showing potential in his appearances with decent passes that displayed his technical ability, he has never unseated ter Stegen as a starter, leading to his backup situation.
He needed the minutes that would allow him to grow as a starting potential keeper.
His abilities as a player and potential growth potential align perfectly with Celta Vigo.
Celta can allow him to be their number one and breathe new life and career ambitions into his career as he is back playing minutes in La Liga.
Barcelona is unlikely to prevent Pena from leaving, given the restructuring and player change of emphasis by Hansi Flick.
While the club’s finances might limit a sale to a small fee or a loan with an obligation to buy, this is a win-win for Barcelona as it saves their wage bill and allows Pena to play regularly elsewhere.
Negotiations between the two clubs are taking place, and there is every chance a deal could be done soon, provided no issues arise.
For him, a move to Celta is a career-defining step.
At 26, he is at a crossroads in his professional career, and regular minutes could help him reach his potential.
The direction of the club and the need for a reliable goalkeeper perfectly aligns with his ambitions. If talks continue to progress efficiently, he could soon be Celta’s new number 1.
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