Barcelona star will not force free transfer exit in 2026

Barcelona star Inaki Pena will ask the club to sell him this summer despite a contractual bonus being in place in 2026.

Pena was initially elevated to the No.1 spot, following Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s ACL injury at the start of the season, but the situation has changed since then.

Barcelona used La Liga rules to make an emergency signing to cover Ter Stegen’s absence as Hansi Flick brought Wojciech Szczesny out of retirement.

Why is Inaki Pena leaving Barca?

Pena is annoyed at losing his place to Szczesny with the Poland international closing in on an extension for the 2025/26 season.

Szczesny rolled back the years between the posts for Flick as the club marched to a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercup treble.

Ter Stegen’s own future in Catalonia is in doubt – with the German linked with a possible summer exit – and the club are closing in on a transfer deal for Espanyol’s Joan Garcia.

La Liga duo want Barcelona’s star

Previous reports from Mundo Deportivo claim Pena’s first choice is to remain in Spain, but Barcelona want to sell him quickly, with his current deal expiring in 2026.

Celta Vigo are considering a transfer offer, with preliminary talks already started with Pena’s new agent, and the change of representatives also viewed as a factor in his push to leave Barcelona.

As per a new update from MD, Pena has told Barcelona he wants to move on this summer, and he will not hang around to leave as a free agent in 2026.

That means he will not receive a loyalty bonus for completing his contract with the focus on securing a new team to revive his career.

Galatasaray could also offer him a route out of Spain with the Turkish champions sealing a deal to bring in Leroy Sane from Bayern Munich.