Barcelona ace edges closer to January switch as club green-lights potential loan or sale to ease wage burden.
This shift stems from a prolonged injury absence that allowed the new first-choice to cement his position, recording clean sheets and pivotal saves that have validated Barcelona’s bold summer gamble on squad evolution.
Now, with the January window looming, internal discussions centre on the most pragmatic path forward, balancing the player’s stature, salary demands, and the club’s financial tightrope amid ongoing recovery from economic pressures.
A departure feels inevitable to preserve match rhythm ahead of major international commitments, but executing it proves far from simple in a market wary of high-wage, recently sidelined profiles.
That ace is club captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen, whose return to training has only underscored his third-choice status behind Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny, as reported by Marca.
Deco recently left the door ajar for a winter exit, prioritising the 33-year-old’s recovery before any final calls, yet no formal offers have materialised despite interest from Turkish sides and enquiries elsewhere.
Ter Stegen’s sky-high wages – the squad’s highest – and dipped market value post-injury make an outright sale improbable, pushing talks towards a loan where Barcelona might subsidise much of the cost.
Complicating matters further, personal factors weigh heavily: shared custody of his children near his ex-wife in Catalonia renders a mid-season relocation disruptive.
Germany’s national team ambitions add urgency, with coach Julian Nagelsmann insisting on regular minutes for World Cup contention, potentially forcing a temporary move abroad.
Barcelona view retaining him as a viable short-term squad player, but Ter Stegen craves the pitch, setting up a delicate negotiation as the window nears.
This saga tests the club’s leadership on loyalty versus pragmatism, with ripples for squad harmony and transfer budget alike.
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