Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been linked with a move to the Premier League. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Man United are expected to sign a new goalkeeper in 2026, with Tottenham also looking to add to both players. As expected, this has led to both clubs identifying similar targets, one of which is Barcelona stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Until this season, Ter Stegen was Barcelona’s number one for the most part in a decade, but he is now third in the pecking order for Hansi Flick’s side. For this reason, he has been strongly linked with a move away, especially as he needs to play his football to become a starter for the German national team at next summer’s World Cup.
However, it now appears that a mid-season move to Man United or Tottenham is out of the question, which will be frustrating for both clubs.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen unlikely to leave Barcelona in January
According to Pete O’Rourke (via Football Insider), neither Tottenham nor Man United are likely to sign Ter Stegen in January, despite him not being valued at Barcelona.
“We know that Ter Stegen is a top player and has played at a high level for both club and country. Obviously there was a bit of an atmosphere between him and Barcelona during the summer when they had to put Ter Stegen on the long-term medical list to free up wage space for new players like Joao Garcia and Marcus Rashford.
“I think Ter Stegen’s chances with the Catalan giants are limited, as it is clear that García is now Barcelona’s long-term number one. However, I think it is very unlikely that this deal will materialize in the January window.”
“It will be interesting to see what happens in the summer if Ter Stegen continues to fall out of favor at Barcelona. I am sure that Barcelona would probably prefer to sell him rather than potentially loan him, just to help the financial situation and obviously take his salary off the club’s wage scale.”
It remains to be seen whether Man United and Tottenham will approach Barcelona for Ter Stegen when the transfer window reopens, but for now both clubs will continue to consider their options.