Barcelona 'communicate' Marc-Andre ter Stegen 'decision': Could Man United make a move for the goalkeeper?

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has reportedly told Marc-Andre ter Stegen that he will not be the club's number one goalkeeper next season following the arrival of Joan Garcia from Espanyol.

Ter Stegen has a contract at Camp Nou until June 2028, and he has been with the club since 2014, making 422 appearances in all competitions, but his future with the Catalan giants is unclear.

The La Liga champions have added a new goalkeeper to their squad this summer, recently signing Garcia after activating the €25m (£21m) release clause in his Espanyol contract.

There has been widespread speculation surrounding Ter Stegen's future this summer, and according to SPORT, the Germany international has now been told that he will not be the club's number one goalkeeper next season.

The report claims that Barcelona are not actively looking to sell the 33-year-old, but it remains to be seen whether he is prepared to stay at Camp Nou knowing that he is behind Garcia in the pecking order.

Ter Stegen 'will not be Barca's number one next season'

Ter Stegen could even potentially be relegated to third-choice stopper next season, as Wojciech Szczesny has penned a new contract at the club until the summer of 2027.

Szczesny performed impressively last season after Ter Stegen's injury, with the German restricted to just nine appearances during the 2024-25 campaign due to a serious knee issue.

Galatasaray are among the clubs to be linked with Ter Stegen, who will be determined to play regular football next season in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup.

Barcelona sporting director Deco recently said that the club were 'looking to the future' when they signed Garcia.

Deco told La Vanguardia. “My job is to build the best possible team for the coach. From there, it’s the coach’s call. There’s no clause in any contract that guarantees playing time.

"We had to think about the present and the future. Joan is a young, top-level goalkeeper. He may play now, or maybe not for another year or two, but everyone starts from zero. Nobody has an advantage.

"The goal was not a priority. But the market gave us a chance, and if we waited, the cost could have been higher or the player could’ve gone elsewhere. We had to act.

"You must forecast your squad when players are 32 or 33. We followed the same idea. If a footballer really wants to leave, it’s hard to stop them. But that’s not the case right now. I respect Marc, but Joan’s arrival is part of our future planning."

Will Ter Stegen leave Barcelona this summer?

Ter Stegen simply cannot be Barcelona's number three goalkeeper next season, not considering the career he has had and the fact that, on form, he remains one of the best stoppers in European football.

It may be tough to engineer a permanent move away from Barcelona this summer, but a loan deal should not be too difficult to agree, and there were surely not be any shortage of takers for a player of his calibre.

Manchester United are among the major clubs in the market for a new goalkeeper this summer, and the Red Devils could emerge as a very interesting option for Ter Stegen before the end of the transfer window.

Tom Heaton has signed another contract to be Man United's number three next season, but there is currently uncertainty when it comes to the futures of both Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir.

Written by
Matt Law