Barcelona confirmed on Wednesday that goalkeeper Iñaki Peña has signed a contract extension until 2029 and has been loaned to newly-promoted La Liga side Elche for the remainder of the season.
It was somewhat of a surprising choice by the 26-year-old, who had offers from more established teams, such as Cesc Fàbregas Como, who were very interested in Peña.
But the choice to go to Elche is about more than just football. As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Peña made the decision for two main reasons: his
personal relationship with Elche’s manager and a strong personal connection to the city where they play.
Elche’s manager is Eder Sarabia, who coached Peña at Villarreal’s youth teams and then reunited with Iñaki during his brief stint as Quique Setien’s assistant at Barça, and Sarabia spent considerable time in the last few days recruiting Peña and explaining how he would fit into the team’s play style.
Peña also made the decision because the city of Alicante, where Elche play, is the home of Iñaki’s family as well as his partner’s. Playing at Elche will give Iñaki much-needed stability on and off the pitch.
