Inaki Pena is one among a few Barcelona players whose contract expires at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
The 23-year-old La Masia graduate has been promoted to the role of Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s understudy this season, with Barcelona getting rid of Neto Murara in the summer. However, game-time has been hard to come by for the goalkeeper, with ter Stegen in imperious form.
As a result, Pena has played just one game across all competitions so far. This, coupled with his contract situation, has seemingly alerted Barça’s La Liga rivals Real Betis, who are keeping a close eye on the 23-year-old, reports Mundo Deportivo.
Betis are said to be eyeing a Bosman move for Pena in the summer in case either Rui Silva or Claudio Bravo leaves. The Verdiblancos’ director, Antonio Cordon, has put the Barcelona goalkeeper’s name at the top of the shortlist for possible goalkeeping reinforcements.
While Betis are interested in signing Pena, Barcelona have no intentions of letting the young prospect leave in the summer and are already in talks with him over a contract extension.
Pena, too, is believed to be keen on staying put at Spotify Camp Nou, despite being well aware that he can only gain minutes in cup matches given how ter Stegen has been performing.
Pena has been at Barça for more than ten years now, having joined the club’s academy from Villarreal’s youth setup in 2012. He made over 60 appearances for the Catalans’ reserve team before spending the second half of the last season out on loan at Galatasaray.
With Pena now in talks over a new contract, it seems like his time at Spotify Camp Nou will not come to an end next summer. Even then, Real Betis are said to be keeping a close watch on the negotiations as they look to pounce if a chance presents itself.
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