Former Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has signed with Barcelona until the end of the season, just over a month after announcing his retirement.
The 34-year-old former Poland international retired on August 27 following the termination of his contract with Juventus.
Barcelona’s first-choice goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, suffered a serious knee injury during their 5-1 victory against Villarreal last month.
La Liga regulations allow clubs to sign free agents outside of the transfer window when players face injuries sidelining them for more than four months.
Szczesny, who made 181 appearances for Arsenal after joining as a 16-year-old, also had stints at Brentford, Roma, and Juventus.
After joining Juventus in 2017, he made 252 appearances over seven years, winning three Serie A titles and three Coppa Italia trophies.
The Warsaw-born player earned 84 caps for Poland, featuring in four European Championships and two World Cups.
When he announced his retirement Szczesny said: “Today, though my body still feels ready for challenges, my heart is not there any more. I feel that right now it is time to give all of my attention to my family.”
Szczesny could debut for Barcelona in their La Liga match against Alaves on Sunday.
Despite a 4-2 defeat to Osasuna on Saturday, Barcelona remains at the top of the table with seven wins from eight games.
On Tuesday, Hansi Flick’s side secured a 5-0 victory over Young Boys in the Champions League.