Barcelona’s season has quietly reached a delicate crossroads, with squad management becoming just as important as results on the pitch.
Hansi Flick has wasted little time making decisive calls since taking charge, particularly when it comes to defining clear roles within his team.
With domestic and European commitments piling up, hierarchy and clarity have become non-negotiable.
Nowhere has that been more evident than in the goalkeeping department, where long-standing assumptions are being challenged.
What once seemed unthinkable is suddenly moving very fast behind the scenes.
Barcelona are closing in on a three-way agreement with Girona that would see Marc-Andre ter Stegen leave the club on loan until the end of the season.
Flick’s decision to start Joan Garcia in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 clash against Racing Santander proved to be a defining moment, effectively confirming what had already been hinted at internally.
The German coach had warned last month in Guadalajara that the goalkeeper would only feature in that particular fixture, and the situation was duly confirmed at El Sardinero, accelerating talks over a temporary exit.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Girona will take on only a very small portion of the goalkeeper’s salary, an amount that will come close to, but not reach, €1 million.
While early reports suggested the Barcelona captain would sacrifice a significant share of his wages, it is now understood that the Blaugrana are offering maximum cooperation by covering around 90 per cent of his salary to facilitate the move.
The priority for Barcelona has been to resolve the situation quickly while maintaining harmony within the squad.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen still has two years remaining on his contract, which runs until 2028, and his original hope was to play enough matches at Barcelona to convince Julian Nagelsmann to restore him as Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper.
However, Flick’s recent selections have made it abundantly clear that his chances of meaningful minutes at the club are now extremely limited.
Given those circumstances, the 33-year-old has only been willing to consider Girona as an option.
Family considerations have played a decisive role, with the goalkeeper keen to remain close to Barcelona in order to continue seeing his two children regularly.
That personal factor has been central to his willingness to accept a short-term solution rather than a more disruptive move elsewhere.
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