Barcelona’s 18-year-old goalkeeper Diego Kochen has returned to training after recovering from an injury, and manager Hansi Flick is keeping a close eye on the young talent. According to Jijantes, Kochen has been called up to first-team training as Flick evaluates his options following the long-term injury of first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The club recently signed Wojciech Szczesny to compete with Inaki Pena for the starting role this season, but Barcelona is already considering future options for their goalkeeping department. Kochen is viewed as a promising candidate for the future, and he is set to compete with Ander Astralaga for the spot in the Barcelona Atletic team.
Reports suggest that Flick’s decision to bring Kochen into first-team training could indicate the youngster is now ahead of Astralaga in the pecking order. There’s even a possibility that Kochen could be included in the squad for Barcelona’s upcoming match against Sevilla.
Barcelona reportedly sees Kochen as a potential long-term replacement for Ter Stegen, further cementing his role in the club’s future plans.
