La Liga new boys join transfer race for Barcelona outcast

Barcelona are looking to looking to sell more first team players before the La Liga transfer deadline on September 1.

Oriol Romeu is expected to move on in the coming days with Inaki Pena and Hector Fort also on course to follow him out of the exit door.

Pena has been linked with a move away from Catalonia since the start of the summer after growing frustrated at his place in Hansi Flick’s plans.

After initially stepping up as Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s replacement midway through last season, he was quickly replaced by Wojciech Szczesny, as Barcelona went on to win the treble.

Joan Garcia’s arrival means he is now fourth choice in behind the unregistered Szczesny and the injured Ter Stegen.

Barcelona had then retained him ahead of the new season, as he was their only registered goal keeper, before Garcia’s paperwork was completed ahead of last weekend’s win in Mallorca.

Following that, he will now be allowed to move on, and the Catalans can register Szczesny.

Girona are the latest club to  flag up an interest, but four sides are rumoured to be chasing his signature, including Galatasaray, Como and Celta Vigo.

However, with Pena’s first demand over accepting any move will be focused on being first choice, and Mundo Deportivo claim that could allow newly promoted Elche to swoop in.

That move could include either a permanent transfer or a season long loan with Barcelona keeping their options open on him.

The Alicante-born keeper will be offered a three-year renewal by Barcelona, before taking up a possible year back in his native region, but he is unsure on continuing his link to La Blaugrana.

A clean break could be the best solution for all involved, with Pena unconvinced he will be given a chance to challenge Garcia, and he wants his career to be restarted.