‘Will Be Difficult’—Barcelona Change Expected With Joan Garcia Signing

Barcelona captain Marc-André ter Stegen could be a casualty of continued squad rejuvenation this summer, reports in Spain claim, with the club seemingly intending to replace the long-serving goalkeeper.

Ter Stegen outlasted Claudio Bravo to become Barcelona’s starting goalkeeper across all competitions from 2016 onwards. But he missed most of 2024–25 because of injury and is now at risk due to the club targeting Espanyol’s Joan García.

García has just completed his first season of top flight football as a starter in La Liga, after only winning the job midway through Espanyol’s promotion year in 2023–24. But the Spaniard is highly rated and has been courted by Premier League side Arsenal. Manchester United and Manchester City are also credited with interest as they each consider their own goalkeeper position.

Barcelona is set to win the race to sign García, though, likely at Ter Stegen’s expense.

Mundo Deportivo (MD) explains that it is Hansi Flick’s ideal plan for García to be the starter next season and beyond. There is a “strong and firm” commitment to the younger talent, and there is “complete harmony” between the sporting staff and the executives in the front office.

The report adds that “it will be difficult” for Ter Stegen to command regular playing time once García arrives and club staff believe his best chance to be a starter is to go elsewhere instead.

On the horizon for Ter Stegen is the 2026 World Cup, where he aims to finally take to the field for Germany. In four previous World Cups and European Championships selections (2016, 2018, 2022, 2024), he has always been a backup to Manuel Neuer and, overall, has just 42 international caps to his name, despite being one of the best goalkeepers in the world for a decade.

Ter Stegen is unlikely to displace Neuer—40 by the time of the World Cup but showing no signs of getting ready to retire—if he isn’t playing regularly at club level. MD notes that reports in Germany have stated a reluctance to leave Barcelona, yet his career is at risk of fizzling out if he doesn’t go and García comes in as expected, even with three years left on his contract.

Wojciech Szczęsny is set to sign a new one-year contract, which could also serve to push Iñaki Peña out of the club. The home-grown La Masia goalkeeper initially covered for Ter Stegen until being replaced in January by Szczęsny, who had come out of retirement to join three months earlier.