Ter Stegen reaches agreement to leave Barcelona this January

Barcelona’s captain, Marc-André ter Stege,n is set to join Girona on loan for the remainder of the season to secure consistent game time ahead of the World Cup in the summer after losing his spot as first-choice goalkeeper.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Ter Stegen has reached a full agreement with Girona to join the Catalan side on a short-term loan for the rest of the season.

The goalkeeper is keen on the move, which would guarantee more game time, as he hopes to retain his status as Germany’s No. 1 ahead of the 2026 World Cup, a point emphasised by Germany’s sporting director, Rudi Völler, and coach, Julian Nagelsmann.

Negotiations are reportedly progressing, but financial details remain a sticking point because Girona cannot cover Ter Stegen’s full wages, and Barcelona want a portion of his high salary covered by the La Liga club.

The Germany international has seen his standing at Barcelona change significantly since the summer of 2025 after the club signed Joan García from city rivals Espanyol, triggering the €25 million release clause and securing the 24-year-old on a six-year contract until 2031 to be a long-term goalkeeper option. 

García had just completed a standout campaign at Espanyol, where he made 146 saves in La Liga last season, the second-most in Europe’s top five leagues, and Barcelona activated his clause amid concerns over coverage following Ter Stegen’s back surgery and lengthy absence in pre-season. It had also been long coming because the former Borussia Monchengladbach man has been in a steady decline in recent years.

García has been preferred by manager Hansi Flick this season, despite Ter Stegen’s captaincy status. Flick has resisted using the 33-year-old even in domestic cup matches, leaving him on the bench in Thursday’s Copa del Rey tie against Racing Santander, with Flick publicly insisting García is now “number one.”