Barcelona face four-way decision over Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s future

Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s future remains unresolved, with Barcelona facing four possible outcomes when his loan spell at Ajax ends in June.

The Germany goalkeeper has enjoyed a strong season in the Netherlands and Ajax are reportedly very pleased with his performances. The club have also benefited financially because Barcelona are paying most of his wages.

Ter Stegen must return to Barcelona in June, when the club will begin finalising their plans for the 2027-28 campaign. However, his situation is complicated by the fact that his contract in Catalonia expires in June 2028, leaving only one season remaining after his return.

“We are still in November, so I cannot speculate about what will happen in the summer,” Ter Stegen told Sport Bild this week.

According to Marca, Barcelona’s sporting department are considering four potential solutions.

Staying at Barcelona

Keeping Ter Stegen would be difficult because Barcelona are already expected to have two high-level goalkeepers next season in Joan Garcia and Livakovic.

Wojciech Szczesny’s contract will expire and he is not expected to stay, but Joan Garcia is clearly regarded as the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper. If Ter Stegen remained, he would be competing for a place rather than returning as the starter.

At 34, the Germany international would not want to spend a season on the bench, whether at Barcelona or elsewhere. The arrangement would suit neither the player nor the club.

Another loan

A straightforward new loan is regarded as an unlikely option. It would make little sense for Barcelona to send Ter Stegen elsewhere only for him to return in June 2028, when his current contract ends.

The more logical version of that plan would involve extending his contract before arranging another loan. However, Barcelona do not want to renew his deal because of his exceptionally high salary.

Even with a reduced figure, a new agreement would remain expensive, particularly because Ter Stegen is not part of Hansi Flick’s plans in either the short or long term.

A permanent transfer

Selling the goalkeeper would be the ideal outcome for Barcelona. A transfer fee would provide income while also removing a significant portion of his wages from the club’s budget.

The difficulty is finding a club willing to pay a fee and take on a gross salary of almost €20m. That appears unlikely, despite Barcelona’s strong desire to move Ter Stegen on.

Ending the contract

The final option is to terminate the agreement by mutual arrangement, which may prove the most practical solution. Barcelona would need to negotiate with Ter Stegen’s representatives over how much of his remaining salary he would waive in return for leaving.

It would follow the approach used by Joao Cancelo when he left Al Hilal to join Barcelona. The negotiations would be complicated by Ter Stegen’s wages, while the decisive factor could be his form at Ajax.

If he maintains his current level, interested clubs may be willing to sign him. He remains Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper and there are clubs prepared to invest in a player of his experience. However, a decline in form or another injury would make Barcelona’s problem considerably harder to resolve.