For the World Cup! It is revealed that the Barcelona captain applied to leave the team in the winter window and only played 3 games in the past year

On October 23, Spanish media Fútbol Fantasy reported that 33-year-old German goalkeeper Ter Stegen is seriously considering leaving the team in the January winter transfer window. Ter Stegen has struggled with injuries over the past year and has only played three games. In order to ensure participation in the 2026 World Cup, Ter Stegen hopes to leave the team in the January winter window to ensure more ample game opportunities.

This summer, Ter Stegen suffered a waist injury and is expected to return in January next year. As for the goalkeeper position, Barcelona introduced Joan Garcia and retained the experienced Szczesny. In the new season, Juan Garcia has performed well as the starting goalkeeper and has firmly established himself as the number one goalkeeper. As the second goalkeeper, Szczesny performed stably and was also deeply trusted by Flick. In this case, Ter Stegen has lost his playing space in Barcelona.

Although Ter Stegen's contract with Barcelona will expire in 2028, it is difficult for him to get regular playing time in the current environment. It is reported that Barcelona has excluded him from the plan for the new season and is willing to facilitate his departure to free up salary and quota.

Ter Stegen also understands the current situation very well. He hopes to leave the team to find the main position after returning in January. In the past year, he was absent for a long time due to injuries and only played 1 La Liga game and 2 national team games. For Ter Stegen, he not only has to seek the main position, but also strives to return to the German national team, and the German team has also made it clear that it hopes to see him play the main role in the club. Therefore, winter window rental becomes an ideal choice.

Barcelona is not opposed to Ter Stegen leaving the team, and has even begun to study plans to complete the breakup at the minimum cost. The club needs to optimize its lineup, especially in the key position of goalkeeper. Although the German's contract does not expire until 2028, the management believes that releasing him will be beneficial to the team's competitive and financial balance. The team no longer has him as the core, and a happy reunion between the two sides is considered the best outcome.

For Ter Stegen, the upcoming transfer window is a crossroads: either stay on the team and accept a substitute role, or end his Barcelona career and regain continuous playing opportunities elsewhere. Several clubs outside Spain have expressed interest and offered him playing options. If he chooses to rent out or transfer in January, he will have the opportunity to prove that he still has World Cup level standards. Barcelona confirmed that the door is open, but emphasized the need to strike a balance between competition and economics.