Barcelona's hierarchy will hold emergency talks this week to discuss whether to sign a free agent goalkeeper to replace the injured Marc-André ter Stegen, sources have told ESPN.
Ter Stegen, 32, underwent successful surgery on Monday, Barca said, after completely tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee in Sunday's 5-1 La Liga win at Villarreal.
Sources told ESPN that the German goalkeeper will be sidelined for months and is unlikely to play again this season.
Iñaki Peña joined Villarreal as a goalkeeper. Last season he played 12 games in La Liga while Ter Stegen was out with back problems.
However, sources have confirmed to ESPN that Barca manager Hansi Flick, sporting director Deco and other senior club officials will meet to discuss how to proceed without Ter Stegen.
The options are to stick with Peña, sign a goalkeeper who doesn't have a club to compete with the youth player or wait until the January transfer window opens to re-evaluate the situation.
La Liga regulations would allow Barça to sign a free agent outside the transfer window following Ter Stegen's long-term injury.
The Catalan club continues to exceed the annual spending limit imposed by the league (although it has increased to more than 400 million euros)[444 millones de dólares]), but would be allowed to invest up to 80% of Ter Stegen's salary on a replacement.
It is a rule that Barça has already used this season to register Iñigo Martínez, Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor in LaLiga due to the injuries of Ronald Araújo and Andreas Christensen.
Keylor Navas, Loris Karius and former Barça player Jordi Masip are among the goalkeepers who are currently without a club and could be signed immediately.
Meanwhile, Peña will remain number one ahead of Wednesday's visit to Getafe, where Barça will be looking to make it seven wins out of seven at the start of the new LaLiga campaign.
Pena, 25, has been at the club since 2012 and impressed while on loan at Turkish club Galatasaray in 2022, earning a place in the first team as Ter Stegen's understudy the following season.
Barca's third choice goalkeeper is 20-year-old Ander Astralaga, while US international Diego Kochen has also been a regular in first-team training and call-ups.
However, 18-year-old Kochen is sidelined with an injury and is not expected to return until after the October international break.
