FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is angry about developments in the goalkeeping department and wants an explanation from the club according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources.
The German ended the 2024/2025 season as second fiddle to Wojciech Szczesny, thanks to a serious injury that kept him sidelined for most of the campaign and resulted in Barca bringing the Pole out of retirement.
As Barca sealed a domestic treble under Hansi Flick in his maiden term, reports began to circulate regarding a pursuit of Espanyol’s breakout star Joan Garcia.
Because of the 24-year-old saving Barca’s crosstown rival from the drop yet not being called up to Luis de la Fuente’s latest Spain national team squad with the likes of Lamine Yamal and Pedri, Garcia’s release clause has stayed rooted at a reasonable $28.5 million (€25 million).
Through the press, though, and outlets such as RAC1, rumors have spread that Barca President Joan Laporta will effectively put Ter Stegen up for sale as there isn’t room in the squad for two elite shotstoppers.
Asked about his potential exit at the weekend while on international duty for Germany, Ter Stegen was defiant.
“No one has told me about this, so I don’t know the situation,” Ter Stegen said, about possibly being moved on.
“I’m not worried. I know that I will be at Barcelona next year… If I remember correctly, and if no news has happened in the last few hours, we only have two goalkeepers for next season, Inaki [Pena] and me,” the veteran then added while ignoring Szczesny, who has not yet renewed his one-year contract but is expected to.
There has been plenty of news since then, however, with Barca set to land Garcia in a matter of days after reportedly agreeing terms with the player and his camp.
As for Ter Stegen’s entourage, anonymous sources from it told SPORT that nobody from Barca has told them anything about a sale or that the 33-year-old should leave.
They showed their anger at how things are being done, and for bearing witness to what they consider to be a “campaign” against the captain which is being played out in the local media.
With Flick and Sporting Director Deco watching him from the stands as Germany lost a Nations League semifinal to Portugal where Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner, Ter Stegen wants to focus on his country at the moment, which will play a third-place playoff against whoever loses between Spain and France.
Ter Stegen will then seek explanations from FC Barcelona
After said fixture, though, Ter Stegen will then seek explanations from FC Barcelona and leading figures such as Deco, as he wants the club’s intentions explained to him.