Barcelona set to loan out 21-year-old La Masia talent this summer – report | OneFootball

The goalkeeping department at FC Barcelona is experiencing a shake-up. Joan Garcia is set to join and take up the mantle of the No. 1 from Marc-Andre ter Stegen, whom the club want to sell.

Wojciech Szczesny will sign a new contract and continue as the backup while Inaki Pena will move on this summer after having fallen out of favour.

One of the academy talents – Ander Astralaga, Diego Kochen, or Aron Yaakobishvili, is thus expected to take the third-choice goalkeeper’s spot in Hansi Flick’s setup.

Astralaga to be loaned out

However, according to a report from Gerard Romero, Barcelona are likely to ship Ander Astralaga out on loan for the upcoming season.

Astralaga, 21, has a contract with the Blaugrana that is valid until 2026. But Romero states that the deal contains an option for a two-year extension, tying the young goalkeeper to the club until June 2028.

The La Masia talent, who joined the club from the Athletic Club youth setup in 2018, played 18 matches for Barça Atletic this season.

However, with the reverse team getting relegated from the RFEF Primera Division, Barcelona are expected to loan out a number of players from the squad to higher-division sides to help continue their development.

As such, the expectation is that Astralaga will be sent out on loan by the Catalan giants, possibly to a second-division team, to ensure that his progress does not stall.

There had been some concerns about his contract but Romero insists that Astralaga’s deal has a two-year extension clause which Barcelona will likely activate before shipping him off on loan.