Marc-André ter Stegen's future is already defined. FC Barcelona confirmed this Tuesday that the German goalkeeper will play on loan for a season with Ajax, a club he will join with a loan that will end on June 30, 2027.
After several weeks of negotiations, both institutions managed to close the operation, putting an end to the differences related to the tax obligations that the footballer had to assume to complete his arrival at the Amsterdam team.
Ter Stegen said goodbye to Barcelona
The 34-year-old goalkeeper, who has a contract with Barcelona until 2028, said goodbye last Friday to his teammates and the coaching staff led by Hansi Flick before leaving the Blaugrana camp in England to travel to the Netherlands.
With this move, Ter Stegen will seek to regain continuity after a period complicated by injuries, which considerably limited his participation in recent months.
Injuries stopped the German goalkeeper's momentum
The German international had a difficult campaign due to various physical problems.
During his previous loan under Míchel Sánchez, at Girona, he was barely able to play two games before suffering an injury that also prevented him from participating in the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The constant physical discomfort has conditioned the goalkeeper's recent seasons, who will now try to regain his best version defending the Ajax goal.
A career full of successes with Barcelona
Although his departure marks the end of a stage, Marc-André ter Stegen leaves an important mark on Barcelona.
The goalkeeper accumulated 423 official matches and won 21 titles with the Catalan team. In addition, he became the second foreign footballer with the most matches played in the club's history, only behind Lionel Messi.
Now, the German will face a new challenge in Dutch football with the aim of competing at the highest level again.
Jordi Cruyff celebrated the arrival of Ter Stegen to Ajax
At Ajax, the goalkeeper will once again meet Jordi Cruyff, the club's current sporting director, with whom he shared a stage at the Camp Nou.
The Dutch manager expressed his satisfaction at completing the signing of the experienced goalkeeper.
"Marc has an exceptional career and his qualities are widely recognized. He joins our squad immediately. We know each other well and I am looking forward to working with him again. We have been working for some time to bring him here, so we are very happy that he has signed his contract and can start playing," said Jordi Cruyff in statements to the Ajax media.
With this loan, Ter Stegen will try to regain prominence in a key season both for his future at the club level and for his aspirations to return to the German national team.
