A stunning Spanish report has suggested that Marc-Andre ter Stegen is likely to join Newcastle United on loan from Barcelona in the January transfer window, but TEAMtalk believes that a move to St. James’ Park in the middle of the season is a fanciful idea.
Newcastle signed former Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale from Southampton in the summer of 2025 on a season-long loan deal with the option to make it permanent next summer. Nick Pope is the other major goalkeeper in Eddie Howe’s squad and is out of contract at last season’s Carabao Cup winners at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
While there may not be any immediate need for Newcastle to sign a new goalkeeper, the Premier League club need to address that situation in the long term.
Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen has emerged as an option for Newcastle, with Catalan publication Sport reporting on October 4 that the Magpies have approached the defending Spanish champions over a move.
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are also interested in Ter Stegen, who underwent back surgery in July and has been working in the gym on his road to full recovery.
Ter Stegen is not expected to play until January 2026, according to Sport, but E-Noticies has claimed that Newcastle still want to sign him on a loan deal with an option to make it permanent.
The goalkeeper’s ‘great dream’ is to play as a starter for Germany at the 2026 World Cup finals next summer, and for that to happen, he needs to feature regularly at club level.
Staying at Barcelona would hamper that as Joan Garcia is the number one goalkeeper in Hansi Flick’s side at the moment, with the report in the Catalan publication adding, ‘everything indicates that the move could take place in the winter transfer window’.
Newcastle reportedly view Ter Stegen as ‘an ideal option due to his experience and leadership’, with the Magpies to ‘formalise’ a loan-to-buy deal in January.
Ter Stegen has been on the books of Barcelona since 2014 and is under contract at the Spanish powerhouse until the summer of 2028.
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Why Marc-Andre ter Stegen to Newcastle in January will NOT happen
One must note that rumours about Ter Stegen to Newcastle are coming from the Spanish media.
There are no credible reports in the English press that claim that the Magpies are keen on signing the 33-year-old goalkeeper, who has won LaLiga six times and the Champions League once with Barcelona.
Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has reported that Ter Stegen could leave in January.
Plettenberg wrote on X at 7:30am on October 17: “Marc-Andre ter Stegen has not yet made a decision on whether he will stay at FC Barcelona over the winter or move elsewhere.
“A transfer is no longer ruled out, despite other reports. A final decision is still pending.
“If he stays, he risks ending up on the bench under Flick/Deco/Laporta.
“However, he needs to be playing if he wants to go to the World Cup. His contract runs until 2028. Still a top-class keeper. @SkySportDE”
A move to Newcastle on loan in the January transfer window is highly unlikely, despite claims in the Spanish media.
Pope is still the number one goalkeeper for Howe, with Ramsdale his back-up.
It is hard to imagine Ter Stegen willing to swap a bench role at Barcelona for a similar position at Newcastle, or even worse, he could be the third choice at St. James’ Park behind Pope and Ramsdale.
If playing regularly in the second half of this season is Ter Stegen’s target, then a loan move to Newcastle is clearly not a good idea.
Moreover, like Pope, Ter Stegen is 33 years of age. Newcastle are unlikely to pay a fee to sign a player in his mid-30s next summer even if Pope leaves as a free agent.
One should also note that Ter Stegen’s weekly salary at Barcelona is €320,577 (£278,903, $374,624). according to Capology.
Would Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) really be willing to pay Ter Stegen that kind of money?
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Latest Newcastle news: Eddie Howe reunion, another Liverpool raid
While it remains to be seen if Ross Wilson brings Marc-Andre ter Stegen to St. James’ Park, sources have told TEAMtalk that Newcastle United are certainly keen on signing a Nottingham Forest midfielder, as manager Eddie Howe spies a reunion, but the fee is £70million.
Newcastle are also keen on keeping Sandro Tonali, TEAMtalk understands, but there are two major European clubs after the Italy international midfielder.
And finally, Newcastle are bracing themselves for a raid from Liverpool for one of their star defenders, having also lost Alexander Isak to the defending Premier League champions in the summer of 2025.
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