22-year-old Spanish goalkeeper Arnau Tenas’s contract expired with Barcelona at the end of June, and the La Liga champions have been attempting to bring him back ever since. However, according to Matteo Moretto, PSG is close to securing his signature with former Barcelona manager and current PSG manager Luis Enrique an admirer.
Tenas and Enrique share the same representation and considering the situation at PSG at the moment, the Spanish stopped could see a clearer route to first-team football in Paris.
Barcelona had the option to extend Tenas who made 21 appearances in the Primera Federación for Rafael Márquez’s Barça Atlètic side, and by all accounts, he is incredibly well thought of within the management team at Barca.
The decision to let his contract expire was a strange one at the time, and it looks even stranger now, especially considering they’ve tried to lure him back into the fold throughout July.
Tenas returned from the U21 championship with Spain, after the national side came runners up to England, his ability with the ball at his feet attracted plenty of admirers at the competition and his skillset perfectly reflects the way the goalkeeper position is trending.
We’ve just seen Manchester United spend £47.2 million on Inter Milan goalkeeper for many reasons, but one of the main ones is his ability to play from the back. In any team where possession is valued, ability with the ball on the ground is a key characteristic.
Losing Arnau Tenas for free would be bad management by Barcelona
Tenas hails from a long line of goalkeepers with both his father and grandfather having made a living between the sticks, and his natural feel for the position reflects that.
It’s obvious why PSG hold so much interest in him, but if Barcelona is to lose him for nothing this summer, it will represent poor management from the powers that be.
You should never let a promising youth-internationals contract run down, especially a player as talented as Tenas.
Barca have recently confirmed the loan signing of Marc Vidal from FC Andorra, and if Tenas does move on there’s a good chance he’ll make the majority of starts in goal, competing with Nil Ruiz for the shirt.
There is a chance that 19-year-old keeper Ander Astralaga could take the #1 shirt for Marquez’s team considering he’s currently touring with the senior side in the USA. Maybe, just maybe, that had something to do with Barcelona’s decision to let Tenas’s contract run down.