Girona are closing in on the signing of Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen on loan until the end of the season, sources told ESPN on Friday.
Ter Stegen, 33, has been replaced as Barça’s No. 1 by Joan García and is keen to play regular football to guarantee his place in Germany‘s squad at the World Cup this summer.
The two clubs are still ironing out the final terms of the loan agreement and the breakdown of who pays what percentage of Ter Stegen’s salary — but the player has now given the green light to the move to fellow LaLiga side Girona.
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Sources say the fact that Ter Stegen, who started in the previous round against Guadalajara, was left on the bench for Thursday’s Copa del Rey win at Racing Santander proved key to his decision.
Girona, which is just 100 km. (62 miles) north of Barcelona, also appeals as it allows him to stay close to his children.
Coach Hansi Flick has made it clear in recent weeks that García, a €25 million ($29m) summer signing from Espanyol, is the first choice goalkeeper at the club.
With Wojciech Szczęsny also part of the squad, ESPN revealed earlier this month that Barça had opened the door for Ter Stegen, who has a contract until 2028, to leave in January.
Ter Stegen has made 423 Barça appearances since signing from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2014, winning 17 trophies in that time, but injuries have curtailed his playing time since Flick’s appointment in 2024.
He missed the majority of last season with a knee injury and the first four months of the current campaign after undergoing back surgery, only returning to fitness in December.
