Galatasaray make an enquiry for out-of-favour Barcelona veteran | OneFootball

Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s future at FC Barcelona remains uncertain. The club has finalised the signing of Joan Garcia and will pay the goalkeeper’s €25 million release clause in the coming days.

It is a strategic move by Barcelona to secure a reliable option in goal for the present and the future. With Wojciech Szczesny close to signing a renewal, the issue now lies with Ter Stegen.

Barcelona, through their actions, have sent a clear message to their captain that he will either have to leave the club or accept a place on the bench if he refuses to depart.

Staying on the bench, however, could cost the 33-year-old a spot in Germany’s lineup at the FIFA World Cup next year given that for the first time he is their starting goalkeeper.

Galatasaray make contact

Amidst all this, reports from Turkey, as relayed by SPORT, indicate that Galatasaray have made early contact with Barcelona to understand the terms of a potential transfer for Ter Stegen and whether he could be released on a free transfer.

With Fernando Muslera set to depart at the age of 39, the Istanbul club are searching for his replacement. And Ter Stegen has emerged as a target.

However, the Barça captain is not Galatasaray’s first option. Their preferred target is Serbian goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, currently on loan at Strasbourg from Chelsea. If that deal cannot be completed, they will turn to Ter Stegen.

Will Ter Stegen stay or leave? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Galatasaray are determined to maintain their dominance in Turkey, having won the last three league titles while also aiming to make a greater impact in the UEFA Champions League after failing to reach the new league stage last season.

What next for Ter Stegen?

Ter Stegen still has three years remaining on his deal at Barcelona and is among the highest earners in the squad.

But it is clear that the German shot-stopper is no longer featured as a major part in the Catalans’ plans. As a result, both the club and the player must find a mutually beneficial solution.

The challenge is that most top European clubs already have their goalkeeper positions filled, limiting Ter Stegen’s options for a move this summer.

Still, clubs such as Newcastle are in the market for a goalkeeper, and Manchester City and AC Milan are also exploring options. PSG and Juventus are not ruling out reinforcement in this area either.

Galatasaray, for now, have made the first move and it remains to be seen how things develop from here.