Ter Stegen’s Ajax loan back on track after tax row threatens Barcelona exit

Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s proposed loan move from Barcelona to Ajax has been revived after a tax dispute threw the deal into doubt in recent days.

The 34-year-old German goalkeeper had appeared on the brink of sealing a season-long switch to Amsterdam around 10 days ago, but the transfer stalled when he failed to settle personal tax obligations linked to his salary.

Barcelona have now submitted a fresh proposal in the last few hours aimed at resolving the tax issue. According to Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo, ter Stegen is studying the new offer “positively”, raising hopes that the move can finally be completed.

Tax confusion at heart of delay

Mundo Deportivo reports that ter Stegen was initially unclear about the tax implications of how his wages for this season would be distributed between the two clubs.

That uncertainty blocked the final agreement, despite all parties believing the deal was effectively done.

The keeper has now accepted the tax structure proposed, removing what had become the main obstacle to the transfer.

However, the financial framework of the loan remains complex. Ajax will not contribute more than €2m towards his salary, even though ter Stegen’s wages are scheduled to rise under his current Barcelona contract, which runs until 2028.

Barcelona to shoulder bulk of wages

Barcelona will cover the majority of the goalkeeper’s pay during the loan, but the total amount will not be fixed.

Instead, the club’s contribution will depend on the number of matches ter Stegen plays for Ajax. The Dutch side insisted on this appearance-related condition after what they see as a cautionary example involving Girona.

Girona paid their full share of a previous loanee’s salary, only for the player to feature in just two matches because of injury. Ajax are determined not to repeat that scenario.

The arrangement has turned what was expected to be a straightforward three-way deal into a far more intricate operation.

Barca stance shifts as talks drag on

Barcelona’s position has shifted sharply over the past week. Initially, the Catalan club pressed for a rapid resolution and argued that the matter was entirely in the player’s hands, as he alone was responsible for sorting out his personal financial affairs with the tax authorities.

As negotiations dragged on and a comprehensive agreement proved difficult to reach, Barca moved to break the deadlock by intervening directly and adjusting some contractual clauses to facilitate his departure.

The club is keen to avoid further delays that could disrupt both its own squad planning and Ajax’s preparations for the new season.

Ajax puzzled by hold-up

Ajax have been watching the situation with growing confusion. From the Dutch club’s perspective, all key sporting and financial terms had already been discussed and agreed, and what remained was the formalisation of those prior arrangements in official documents.

Officials in Amsterdam reportedly have no clear explanation for the holdup and admit they have not set a definitive deadline to walk away from the negotiations. But equally, they stress that their patience is not unlimited.

In the meantime, Ajax are examining every possible outcome: the loan could still go through, or it could ultimately collapse.

Ter Stegen silent as he keeps training

Ter Stegen has not offered any public explanation for the delay and is said to prefer to remain silent while talks continue.

Apart from missing one session, he has been consistently training under new coach Hansi Flick at Barcelona’s training ground as he waits for the matter to be resolved and for the green light to travel to the Netherlands.

With Barcelona’s latest offer on the table and the player now aligned on the tax structure, all sides are hoping the move that once looked certain, then highly uncertain, can finally be pushed over the line.