The German goalkeeper will soon be able to compete with Joan Garcia for the number one position, after being deprived of playing time during the pre-season.
The 33-year-old has made his intention to stay at Barcelona clear, despite widespread opinion that Garcia will retain his starting place even once ter Stegen is fully recovered. With Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann publicly stating that ter Stegen needs playing time for the World Cup, the veteran goalkeeper finds himself in a difficult situation.
Ter Stegen’s agent is working on options for January.
If Garcia indeed remains Hansi Flick’s first choice, ter Stegen may have to leave to get game time, with a loan move under consideration. RadioMarca reported that ter Stegen’s entourage is studying the possibilities of leaving for January. Although ter Stegen has not expressed a desire to leave, it appears that if he decides to do so, opportunities will present themselves.
It is of course every agent’s duty to present as many options as possible and explore the market for their client, but given ter Stegen’s situation, this takes on particular importance. The main obstacle, however, remains his salary. With a net salary of around €10 million per year, Barcelona will likely have to cover some of his expenses for a transfer to go through.
Deco has put an end to ter Stegen’s departure rumors.
Despite this, on Thursday, the sporting director of FC Barcelona, Deco, dismissed the idea out of hand, affirming that no departure was planned during the winter transfer window. He thus seemed convinced that ter Stegen was focusing above all on his fitness and his quest for playing time.
