Marc-André ter Stegen has reportedly made his choice. The German goalkeeper has agreed to join Girona on loan and is waiting to see whether they can align on the numbers with FC Barcelona, in order to complete
the deal before the window closes.
According to SPORT, Ter Stegen has responded positively to Girona’s approach and is open to playing at Montilivi for the rest of the season. The reasoning is straightforward. He wants to play, to stay sharp, and to remain a realistic option for Germany with the FIFA World Cup in mind. What he will not do is force his way out of FC Barcelona, or accept a pay cut to make the move easier.
That position is the central issue in negotiations. Barcelona are willing to authorize a loan, but they want Girona to take on around 20 to 25 percent of the goalkeeper’s salary. For now, that figure is beyond Girona’s reach, even after recent changes to their wage structure following the exit of Dominik Livaković.
When it comes to minutes, Ter Stegen’s outlook at Barça is limited. Under Hansi Flick, Joan García has established himself as the clear first choice in La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, and the Supercopa, a hierarchy that was reinforced again in Jeddah. If Ter Stegen stays, his opportunities would likely be reduced to domestic cup matches once the Copa del Rey reaches the latter stages – and that’s if Flick does not opt for Wojciech Szczęsny.
The timing of the talks has coincided with an eventful week for the player. Ter Stegen briefly left the squad in Saudi Arabia to return to Barcelona and check discomfort in his right knee, which has been operated on three times. Tests ruled out any serious injury, and he rejoined the team in Jeddah ahead of the Supercopa final, despite not being in line to start.
The goalkeeper shared a short update on social media after training in Barcelona: “Everything is fine. Training session this morning in Barcelona. Back to Jeddah to join the team again.” The club later confirmed his return, and sporting director Deco played down the scare, saying, “He had a bad sensation in the operated knee and got scared, which is normal given his past. He is calm and it is nothing serious.”
According to MARCA, Girona are the only club that have formally contacted Barcelona about a loan. Publicly, the player has remained silent, and Girona coach Míchel also avoided the subject when asked, stating, “I cannot talk about players who are not here.”
