After getting goalkeeper Joan Garcia from Espanyol, Barcelona are preparing to welcome Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao. To get Garcia and especially Williams, Barca need to have more space in the salary fund to legalize the 1:1 rule.
Among the stars expected to leave this summer, captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen is expected to be the contract that brings the most money to Barca.
Last season was truly a must-forget for the German goalkeeper. He completely lost a banh tet tendon in his right knee in September 2024. The 33-year-old star has only played 9 times in all competitions in the 2024-2025 season. For most of last season, "fire-fighting" Wojciech Szcznesny was the main goalkeeper for Blaugrana, contributing greatly to the domestic treble.
After 10 years of Ter Stegen as the number 1 goalkeeper of Camp Nou, it is time for Barca to take a serious approach to changing the "goalkeeper". The arrival of Joan Garcia is just one of the first steps to realize that transition.
Ter Stegen's current contract is valid until 2028 and he is one of the highest-paid stars. The reason is that the contract between Barca and Ter Stegen was committed since Ruben Bartomeu's time. If the two sides had signed each other under current Joan Laporta, the sky-high salary numbers would never appear again.
After Manuel Neuer retires from international football, the 2026 World Cup could be the first tournament in which Ter Stegen has been in the German national team's goal as a starting goalkeeper. If he continues not to play for club, that prospect may not come, this is something Ter Stegen has been waiting for for for decades.
In April, after recovering from a near-complete injury, when responding to Germany's Bild newspaper, Ter Stegen said he wanted to be arrested as soon as possible. At that time, the season began to enter the finishing stage and Szczesny is catching very well. In the end, Ter Stegen only appeared sparsely and Szczesny became the hero of the 2024-2025 campaign.
In the second leg of the Champions League semi-final in Italy, Ter Stegen did not go with the whole team to cheer for Barca. The German goalkeeper's actions have led to some members of the coaching staff making negative comments. Jules Kounde was still injured at the time but came in with a fold to cheer for his teammates. That is a contrasting image that makes Ter Stegen attract even more skeptical looks within.
At this time, Ter Stegen has not commented on the travel or stay of this goalkeeper and Barca. Although there are many doubts about his ability to compete, there are still no opinions confirming that the German star's future at Camp Nou is over.
At this time, Ter Stegen should have a serious conversation with coach Hansi Flick to be clearer about the future in the coming time. Barca are expected to start the pre-season on 13 July, when Flick and Ter Stegen are expected to meet.
If everything goes well, Ter Stegen will compete fairly with Szczesny and Garcia for the No. 1 position in goal. If everything goes against his wishes, he still has a chance to go to other teams. It is difficult for Ter Stegen to join a team in La Liga when Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both have classy goalkeepers. However, when reaching outside the framework of the Spanish tournament, there are still many destinations suitable for the class and ambition of the 33-year-old goalkeeper.
The number 1 priority is still Barcelona at the moment, but if there are any changes after July 13, Ter Stegen and his team should have an early plan to avoid being passive.
