Deco has told Hansi Flick that he will have to decide between Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Joan Garcia after signing the goalkeeper from Espanyol.
Ter Stegen is said to be determined to fight for his place despite the arrival of Garcia, but the rumor mill thinks Barcelona want rid of the Germany international now.
Deco has been asked about the situation and says he has no need to talk to Ter Stegen, insisting it’s up to the coach to decide how best to proceed.
“I don’t have to talk to him. My obligation is to build the best team possible for the coach. This isn’t my responsibility,” he told La Vanguardia.
“Besides, there’s no contract stating you’re going to play. From there, it’s the coach who makes his decisions, and each player then has his own ambitions.”
“We made a decision to sign a young goalkeeper; it means he can play tomorrow, be on the bench, or play in a year or two. We have certain expectations for Joan that then have to be met.
“Everyone who joins here starts from scratch; no one arrives with an advantage over the others. I have great respect for Marc, but with Joan, we had to make a decision for the present and the future. The coach will have to decide.”
Both Ter Stegen and Flick are on holiday which means no talks are scheduled for now and may not take place until the players return for pre-season on July 13.