Ter Stegen admits Barcelona decision ‘cannot be made’ before summer

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has left open the possibility of returning to Barcelona when his loan spell at Ajax ends, but says he cannot yet decide what his next move will be.

The Germany goalkeeper also revealed he has not been in recent contact with Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, adding uncertainty to his relationship with the club after 12 years at Camp Nou.

“I played for Barcelona for 12 years and have a close relationship with the club,” ter Stegen told Sport Bild, in comments reported by Spanish newspaper Sport. “It is only November, so I really cannot say what will happen in the summer.”

Ter Stegen remains under contract with Barcelona until June 2028, meaning a return is still possible. The 34-year-old has benefited from regular football at Ajax and has also returned to the Germany squad after a difficult period in Spain.

However, his admission that he has not spoken to Flick recently raises questions over whether both parties would want to resume working together next season.

Ter Stegen’s position at Barcelona became more complicated after he suffered a knee injury and Juan Garcia established himself as Flick’s first-choice goalkeeper.

He joined Girona on loan in January 2026 but made only two appearances because of injury. In August, he moved to Ajax on loan until June 2027.

Ter Stegen cautious over Germany position

Ter Stegen spoke positively about his relationship with Germany manager Jurgen Klopp, who has publicly shown his confidence in the goalkeeper since taking charge.

“It is great to feel that they have this trust in me,” he said. “It proves that when I am fully fit, I can offer a lot to the team.”

Despite that backing, ter Stegen does not regard his current status with Germany as a guarantee that he will start at Euro 2028. He remains cautious about his international future after injuries affected his career in recent years and ruled him out of the 2026 World Cup.

The goalkeeper recognises that regaining his position will depend on maintaining his fitness and proving that he can compete, rather than relying on any assurances.

He also acknowledged that Germany have endured a difficult period, with recent performances and results falling below expectations. Calls for major changes and greater opportunities for younger players have increased.

“We have not had the best period recently with the Germany team,” ter Stegen said. “Many people are quickly calling for new players to be involved and for all the young players to be given a chance. In principle, I think that is good and right.”

He added that rebuilding the squad should not mean removing experienced players.

“But there will also be difficult moments, and then experience will be important,” he said, particularly during major tournaments when players must cope with pressure and complicated situations.