Ter Stegen still in contact with Barcelona players as future remains uncertain

Marc-Andre ter Stegen says it is too early to decide whether his long-term future remains at Barcelona, despite spending this season on loan at Ajax.

The Germany goalkeeper also revealed he has not spoken to Barcelona manager Hansi Flick recently, although he remains in occasional contact with some of the club’s players.

“I haven’t been in contact with Hansi recently, unlike some players I still speak to from time to time to see how they are,” Ter Stegen told Spanish radio station COPE.

“I follow Barcelona’s results relatively regularly and sometimes watch their matches when they do not coincide with our games at Ajax.”

Ter Stegen spent 12 years at Barcelona and said that period had created a strong personal connection with the club.

“I played at Barcelona for 12 years, so I have a very close relationship with the club,” he said.

Asked whether he could return to the Catalan side in the future, he added: “It is only November, so I really cannot determine what will happen next summer.”

Injuries and goalkeeping changes

Ter Stegen’s position at Barcelona has become increasingly uncertain over the past few seasons after a series of injuries and changes in the club’s goalkeeping department.

In September 2024, he suffered a complete rupture of the patellar tendon in his right knee. The injury kept him out of football for almost seven months.

During his absence, Barcelona persuaded Wojciech Szczesny to come out of retirement before signing Joan Garcia from Espanyol in the summer of 2025.

By the time Ter Stegen returned in spring 2025, Garcia had established himself as Flick’s first-choice goalkeeper, beginning a new period of uncertainty around the Germany international’s role.

The situation became more complicated that summer when Ter Stegen underwent back surgery. He subsequently became involved in a dispute with Barcelona’s management over the expected length of his absence and whether his medical information could be shared with La Liga, because the duration of the injury was linked to player-registration rules.

Barcelona temporarily removed him as captain during the dispute, but reversed the decision and restored the armband one day later.

In January 2026, Ter Stegen joined Girona on loan but made only two appearances before a muscle injury brought that spell to an early end.

He moved to Ajax on loan in August, with the agreement running until the end of the 2026-27 season. There is no option to buy, while his Barcelona contract runs until the summer of 2028.

During the same interview, Ter Stegen also discussed his international rivalry with Manuel Neuer for the Germany goalkeeper’s position. He acknowledged that spending long periods as a substitute had been difficult, while stressing his great respect for Neuer, whom he considers one of the best goalkeepers in history.