Key detail from Ter Stegen statement that throws Barcelona’s registration plans in disarray | OneFootball

Earlier in the month, it was reported that Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s apparent surgery was going to keep him out of action for four months.

This means that Barcelona would be able to utilise 80% of his salary to register other players, including new signing Joan Garcia, as per La Liga rules.

Today, ter Stegen has announced that he will undergo surgery and will be out for three months.

Big blow for Barcelona

However, Ter Stegen’s three-month absence does not bode well for Barcelona for one key reason.

Initially, it was reported that the 33-year-old shot-stopper could be out for four months if he underwent surgery. And, Barcelona had plans to take advantage of the situation to register new signing Joan Garcia.

As per the La Liga regulations, a club can access 80% of an injured player’s wages to register replacements only if the player is ruled out for at least four months.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been ruled out for three months (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Since Ter Stegen has mentioned a three-month recovery window, Barcelona do not qualify to trigger the emergency salary mechanism.

This comes as a major setback for the Catalan club, who are working within very tight salary limits this summer and were hoping to use Ter Stegen’s long-term injury to facilitate squad registration.

While Barça are expected to make Joan Garcia their number one goalkeeper this season, the process of registering him becomes more complex under the current scenario.

Unless the club can create sufficient financial room elsewhere, Garcia’s registration could be delayed or require alternate arrangements.

That said, it will be interesting to see if Ter Stegen will be out for at least four months due to the surgery. After all, the captain’s statements have come even before he has undergone the procedure.