Barcelona are reportedly prepared to offer Wojciech Szczesny a new contract following his impressive form.
Szczesny called time on his playing career last summer after bringing an end to his seven-year stay as a Juventus player.
However, his retirement proved to be brief after Barcelona came calling in October to sign Szczesny on a free transfer following Marc-Andre ter Stegen's serious knee injury.
Initially, Szczesny had to settle for a backup role to Inaki Pena, before he finally made his debut in a Copa del Rey game against Barbastro on January 4.
The 34-year-old came under scrutiny for his early performances after being sent off in the Spanish Super Cup final against Real Madrid and conceding four in January's dramatic win over Benfica in the league phase.
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Barcelona make Szczesny contract decision
However, Szczesny experienced much better fortunes in Wednesday's trip to Lisbon, making eight crucial saves to help 10-man Barcelona claim a 1-0 win in the first leg of their last-16 tie against Benfica, showcasing the improvement that he has shown in recent weeks after getting up to speed following his retirement.
As it stands, the experienced shot-stopper will become a free agent when his contract expires at the end of the season.
However, according to SPORT, Barcelona are keen to offer Szczesny a new one-year deal to keep him at the club until the summer of 2026.
Szczesny is believed to be leaning towards staying with the Catalan giants, although there is no rush for him to make a final decision as to whether to sign a new deal or head back into retirement.
The two parties are currently focused on their sporting goals, before they hold talks at the end of the season over a potential one-year extension.
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Szczesny asked about Barcelona future
The Barcelona goalkeeper was certainly reluctant to discuss his future when he spoke to reporters following his heroic performance in Lisbon.
"This is not the time to talk about contract extensions," Szczesny told reporters. "We play a game every three days, we have important games in the Champions League, the cup, the league, and we are fighting on all fronts to win titles. So this is not the time for these discussions, but the time will come later.
Szczesny will ultimately have to decide whether he is prepared to be a backup goalkeeper, with Ter Stegen expected to reclaim the number one spot when he eventually returns to full fitness.
In the short-term, Szczesny will be looking to help Barcelona pick up three points in Saturday's La Liga home clash against Osasuna.
Hansi Flick's side are leading the way in La Liga, with a one-point gap to Atletico Madrid and a three-point advantage over Real Madrid.
