Barcelona May Sign Goalkeeper Due to Marc-André ter Stegen Injury

The leadership of Barcelona will convene this week for urgent discussions regarding the potential signing of a free-agent goalkeeper, following the injury of Marc-André ter Stegen. Sources indicate that the club is assessing its options as Ter Stegen faces a significant recovery period.

On Sunday, during a commanding 5-1 victory against Villarreal in LaLiga, Ter Stegen encountered a severe injury. The 32-year-old German goalkeeper completely tore the patellar tendon in his right knee. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on Monday.

Reports suggest that Ter Stegen will be absent for several months, making it likely that he will miss the remainder of the season. In his absence, Iñaki Peña took over in goal against Villarreal and has received playing time before, making 12 LaLiga appearances last season during Ter Stegen’s recovery from a back issue.

Sources have revealed that Barcelona’s head coach Hansi Flick, sporting director Deco, and other key officials will assess their strategy moving forward without their primary goalkeeper. The primary considerations include maintaining Peña as the starting keeper, signing an available goalkeeper to compete for the number one spot, or opting to wait until the January transfer window for a reassessment of their situation.

LaLiga regulations permit Barcelona to sign a free agent in light of Ter Stegen’s long-term injury. Although the club is still operating above its league-imposed spending cap, which now exceeds €400 million ($444 million), they can allocate up to 80% of Ter Stegen’s salary towards acquiring a replacement.

This season, Barcelona has utilized this allowance to register players such as Iñigo Martínez, Dani Olmo, and Pau Víctor, who came in due to injuries sustained by Ronald Araújo and Andreas Christensen.

There are several free-agent goalkeepers currently available who could step in immediately. Notable names include Keylor Navas, Loris Karius, and former Barça keeper Jordi Masip.

While the club deliberates their next steps, Peña is expected to continue as the starting goalkeeper. Barcelona is looking to extend their perfect start to the LaLiga season with a seventh consecutive win against Getafe on Wednesday.

Peña, 25, has been part of the Barcelona setup since 2012. Following a successful loan spell at Galatasaray in 2022, he secured a position within the first-team squad as Ter Stegen’s backup for the current season.

The third-string goalkeeper for Barça is 20-year-old Ander Astralaga. Additionally, 18-year-old Diego Kochen, an international player for the United States, has been frequently involved in first-team training and matches. However, Kochen is currently sidelined due to injury and is not expected to return until after the upcoming international break in October.