Three youngsters fighting for the third goalkeeper position at Barcelona next season | OneFootball

The goalkeeper position is one of the hot topics in the news about FC Barcelona these days as the Catalans look to finalize their options for the upcoming season.

There is quite a lot of uncertainty about this position, as Marc-Andre ter Stegen has returned from a long-term injury, and it remains to be seen how this injury impacts his performances. Similarly, Wojciech Szczesny has not yet officially signed his renewal, even though recent reports indicate he is going to do so.

Third goalkeeper position up for grabs at Barcelona

Inaki Pena’s future is even more uncertain, as he is highly likely to leave the club after losing his second place in the pecking order to Szczesny last season. Meanwhile, the Blaugranes have been linked very strongly with the RCD Espanyol goalie, Joan Garcia, in recent days.

Amid this uncertainty about the starting and first backup goalkeeper, Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona are clear that the third goalkeeper in the squad should be from the club, and there are three main options for this role, i.e., Ander Astralaga, Diego Kochen, and Aron Yaakobishvili.

Three main options

Barcelona goalkeeper Ander Astralaga. [Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images]

Astralaga has been a consistent starter for the reserve team, having played 18 matches in total, in which he conceded 23 goals. He has a contract till 2026, but at 21 years, he is at a good age to be promoted to the first team.

However, Kochen is the player most likely to take this role, mostly because the Catalan club considers him to be a prospect for the future. He has more experience with the first team, as he made the squad 29 times in 2024-25. He is also an international with the USA national team and has a contract till 2028.

Lastly, Yaakobishvili, who was a part of the team that won the UEFA Youth League, also has a contract till 2028. He is a client of Pini Zahavi, who has a lot of influence at the Blaugrana club, and also a U-21 international with Hungary.

It remains to be seen which of these three players will be the third goalkeeper for Barcelona next season, but there is no doubt that all three of them are highly interesting options.