Barcelona academy gem set to complete loan move to Danish club – report | OneFootball

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona goalkeeper Diego Kochen is set to spend next season on loan at Danish side Lyngby Boldklub in a move designed to accelerate his development through regular first-team football.

The 20-year-old, regarded internally as one of the club’s most promising goalkeeping prospects, will travel to Denmark on June 22 before completing medical tests and joining his new teammates on June 23.

Even though he had offers from clubs in the Spanish second division, the La Masia talent has opted to move to Denmark.

A much needed loan move

Kochen remains under contract with Barcelona until 2028 and has long been considered a future option for the club.

An important step for Kochen. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

However, despite being a frequent member of Hansi Flick’s matchday squads, opportunities at senior level have been limited due to strong competition in the goalkeeping department.

The United States youth international was included in 40 first-team squads last season but did not make a single appearance.

The La Masia talent’s pathway has been blocked by established names such as Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Inaki Pena, will also be back at the club this summer after spending last season away on loan.

Therefore, Barcelona and Kochen’s representatives are aligned in believing that a loan spell is the best solution at this stage of his career.

After spending recent years alternating between Barça Atletic and first-team training, the goalkeeper now wants consistent minutes and higher-level matches to continue his progression.

Valuable experience for Kochen

Kochen will complete his loan move this month. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Lyngby, recently promoted back to the Danish top flight after winning their promotion play-off campaign, offer Kochen the chance to gain valuable experience in a competitive first division.

The club’s ambitions, supported by American investment, were an important factor in convincing both player and Barcelona that the move was the right next step.

The upcoming season will be a pivotal one for Kochen, who hopes to return to Barcelona with senior experience and a stronger case for competing for a place in the first-team setup.

But with Joan Garcia set to be the Catalans’ first-choice starter for years to come, the 20-year-old starlet will not have it easy to break into the senior setup.