Barcelona Refuses to Terminate Fringe Player's Contract, Actively Plotting Strategic Exit

Barcelona kicked off their La Liga championship defense while still facing registration issues with three players due to their failure to comply with La Liga's 1:1 financial regulations.

Wojciech Szczęsny, Gerard Martín and Roony Bardghji continue to be ineligible for team selection. Player departures would provide significant relief in Barcelona's quest to give Hansi Flick a full roster, with fourth-string keeper Iñaki Peña potentially being the next to exit the club.

Initially, the strategy was for Peña to depart via a permanent sale. Currently, the club is considering extending Peña's deal through 2027, enabling a loan move to remove most of his wages from their books—similar to their approach with Ansu Fati earlier this transfer period. The option of contract termination has been abandoned since Barcelona would need to cover Peña's entire annual salary.

This shift toward allowing Peña's loan departure has attracted multiple clubs. Spanish sides Celta Vigo and Girona, along with Italian outfit Como have expressed interest in Peña, though they were reluctant to pay substantial transfer fees. With a loan now possible, Como and Celta emerge as the primary contenders, per SPORT reports.

Throughout the summer window, Barcelona has actively sought to move Peña. Nevertheless, just two days prior to Barça's opening match, Peña remained the sole registered goalkeeper available for selection.

Joan García was ultimately registered and took the starting position for the Catalans against Mallorca, while Peña served as substitute goalkeeper, with some believing he might need to enter the game after García experienced a concerning moment during pre-game preparations.

The organization has been reluctant to release Peña until they can successfully register Szczęsny as García's deputy. With fewer than 15 days left in the transfer period, officials hope Peña's exit could enable the Polish shot-stopper's registration.

Peña's Barcelona departure this summer appears virtually certain, though if his transfer cannot be completed within the week, he will likely remain on the bench backing up García when the Catalans travel to face Levante in their second league fixture.