Ter Stegen Opens Door to Barcelona Return After Ajax Loan

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has refused to rule out a return to Barcelona once his loan spell at Ajax ends. The German goalkeeper remains under contract at Camp Nou until 2028.

The 34-year-old left Catalonia for Amsterdam in the summer after falling behind Joan Garcia in the pecking order, and moved on loan in search of regular minutes in the Eredivisie. 

His long-term future in Spain looks uncertain, not least because he has had no contact with Barcelona coach Hansi Flick since leaving.

Speaking to BILD, Ter Stegen made it clear that his bond with the club is still strong after more than a decade there.

“I played for Barcelona for twelve years, so naturally I have a close connection with this club. It’s only November, so I really can’t say what will happen in the summer,” he said.

On the international stage, he is enjoying life as Germany’s undisputed number one. He said he was grateful for the faith shown by national team boss Jurgen Klopp.

“It feels absolutely brilliant to know they have that much faith in me,” he said. “It shows that, when I’m fit, I can contribute a lot to the team.”

He is not taking his place at Euro 2028 for granted, though. He accepted that competition is fierce and that Germany have struggled in recent years, and he spoke about the calls for a squad overhaul.

“We haven’t had the best of times with the German national team recently. Many are quick to call for new players to be brought in, for all the young players to be given a chance. In principle, I think that’s fine and the right approach. But there will also be difficult times, and that’s when experience will count,” he said.

For now, his focus is on playing well for Ajax to keep his match fitness and form up. A strong run in the Netherlands will be vital if he wants to win back his place at Barcelona or hold on to the Germany number one shirt. 

With the transfer window still months away, he will wait to see whether any talks with Flick about his Camp Nou future take place.