Ter Stegen leaves the door open to a Barcelona return

Marc-André ter Stegen has not ruled out returning to Barcelona when his loan at Ajax ends, but the German goalkeeper has yet to choose his next step. At 34, he says he is keeping every option open. His current spell at Ajax has given him the chance to play regularly again and return to the national team after a difficult period at Barcelona.

In an interview with Sport Bild, relayed by Sport, ter Stegen spoke of his enduring connection to the Catalan club: «I played at Barcelona for 12 years, and my bond with the club is close. We are only in November, so I really cannot determine what will happen in the summer.» His contract with Barcelona runs until June 2028, leaving a return after his loan as a possibility.

The goalkeeper also said he had not been in recent contact with Hansi Flick, the team’s coach. That lack of communication adds uncertainty to his relationship with Barcelona and leaves open the question of whether the two sides might work together again next season.

Ter Stegen’s situation at the Catalan club became more complicated after his knee injury and the arrival of Juan García, who established himself as the starting goalkeeper under Flick. Before joining Ajax on loan until June 2027 last August, the German had been loaned to Girona in January 2026. He played only two matches there because of his injury.

Regarding the national team, ter Stegen spoke positively about his relationship with Jürgen Klopp and the public confidence Klopp has shown in him since taking up his role. «It is wonderful to feel that they have this confidence in me. It proves that, when I am fully fit, I can bring a lot to the team,» he said. Even so, he does not believe his current position with the national team guarantees him a starting place at Euro 2028.

The goalkeeper also defended the value of experienced players during a period of change in the German national team. «But difficult moments will come too, and experience will then be important,» he said, pointing to major tournaments and the need to handle pressure. For now, neither his club future nor his status with the national team is settled.