Marc-André ter Stegen has become one of Barcelona‘s most important players over the last decade. Despite his excellent performances, the Culers have decided to secure the arrival of young Joan Garcia, who is set to lead the team’s goalkeeping for several years. As a result, the 33-year-old star’s starting position has been put in jeopardy, prompting Julian Nagelsmann, Germany‘s coach, to issue a clear warning that could influence the player’s future.
“I spoke to him on the phone last week… I don’t think the winter transfer window is ever easy. I didn’t say he has to play for a top club: the most important thing is that he plays, regardless of whether it’s an elite club or not… we hope he becomes the starting goalkeeper for a club. And then we’ll continue with the plan as we had established. If not, we’ll consider new ideas,” Julian Nagelsmann said at the press conference.
Since the start of the 2025-26 season, Barcelona have established Joan Garcia as their future starting goalkeeper. Consequently, Ter Stegen opted to undergo surgery to address his back discomfort, aiming to recover and be in peak condition as he plans his future. In light of this development, the German might leave the club after several years, signaling the start of a new project as he plans to be a starting goalkeeper in the 2026 World Cup.
If Marc stays with Barcelona, Manuel Neuer might come out of retirement to play for Germany in his final World Cup, as he continues to impress at 39 years old. Consequently, Ter Stegen’s departure from the Catalan club seems likely, but he may need to accept a reduced salary since his reported $6.8 million is difficult for teams to accommodate. Should he refuse to leave the Culers, he risks becoming the third-choice goalkeeper and losing his starting role on the national team.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen of FC Barcelona warms up prior to the LaLiga match.
Does Ter Stegen want to leave Barcelona? The German star’s surprising U-turn revealed
Even though Barcelona no longer feature Marc-Andre Ter Stegen as their starting goalkeeper, the German player still holds a long-term contract until 2028, valued at €42 million, as per Diario Sport. For this reason, he was reportedly prepared to either remain with the team until the end of his contract or demand the full amount to terminate it early. However, after recent events, the 33-year-old star appears to have changed his mind.
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According to journalist Florian Plettenberg from Sky Sports, Marc is now open to leaving Barcelona permanently. However, this does not mean a decision has already been made. Several Premier League clubs have reportedly shown interest in securing his services, though no concrete offers have been presented yet. As a result, a six-month loan move in January 2026 remains a possibility, which would allow him to participate in the 2026 World Cup and then decide on his future.
