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Barcelona, the arrival of Joan Garcia and Szczesny’s confirmation push the German away from Camp Nou. Is a consensual separation being considered to lighten the wage bill?

Marc-André ter Stegen and Barcelona, a marriage that risks ending much sooner than expected. According to the Catalan newspaper Sport, the Blaugrana club is evaluating the possibility of terminating the contract of the German goalkeeper, expiring in 2028, by offering a financial compensation to facilitate an immediate resolution.

A choice dictated more by financial needs than technical evaluations. Barcelona, facing heavy economic restrictions imposed by the financial fair play of La Liga, needs to streamline the squad and, above all, reduce the wage bill. Ter Stegen, one of the highest-paid players in the team, represents a significant cost on the budget and the management can no longer afford to have three experienced goalkeepers in the squad.

The situation has further complicated with the imminent arrival of Joan Garcia, goalkeeper from Espanyol, for a fee around 25 million euros. The young Catalan talent has been identified as the ideal profile for the future between the goalposts, an important investment that the club intends to capitalize on immediately.

Barcelona, how much competition in goal!

Making Ter Stegen’s future even more uncertain is the presence of Wojciech Szczesny. Initially arrived as a stopgap to replace the injured German, the former Juventus player has earned the trust of the new coach Hansi Flick, so much so that he was fielded in the decisive Champions League semifinal against Inter, even though Ter Stegen was available. A choice that deeply affected the former Borussia Mönchengladbach player, “hurt” in pride and technical hierarchy.

Wojciech Tomasz Szczęsny looks ahead ( PHOTO BY SALVATORE FORNELLI )

Yet, publicly, the German number one shows a different face. In a press conference, he stated firmly his intention to stay: “I know I will be at Barcelona next year. No one has told me otherwise. We have a young, enthusiastic team with enormous potential. I want to contribute with my experience to take the club even higher.”

Strong words, reflecting the determination of a professional intent on defending his place. But behind the scenes, the atmosphere is anything but serene. Barcelona is reflecting because they know that getting rid of Ter Stegen’s salary could open up new operational margins in the market. On the other hand, the German is not willing to be a spectator or a second goalkeeper, and in case of a breakup, there would be no shortage of suitors in the Premier League or Bundesliga.