Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a surprise return on Tuesday night in their Copa del Rey win over Guadalajara, his first appearance in seven months. The German veteran had missed out so far this season after recovering from back surgery in preseason.
The surprise came after manager Hansi Flick had declared Joan Garcia as his number one, and despite him being rested, Wojciech Szczesny was expected to play. Flick explained after the match that it was ‘a step forward for him‘, but that he would not play going forward.
Premier League interest in ter Stegen
Ter Stegen has returned to training.
Image via RTVE
For some time, a move in January for ter Stegen has been speculated, with supposed interest from Turkiye, amid links to Manchester United too. The latest interest to emerge is reportedly from Tottenham Hotspur, with Sport explaining that several high-profile errors from Guglielmo Vicario creating doubts about the Italian.
The likes of Bologna and Ajax have enquired about ter Stegen, but the 33-year-old was not willing to make the move. His agents are reportedly working on options for ter Stegen, with Julian Nagelsmann having made it clear that he must play in order to make it to the World Cup next summer as Germany’s number one.
Pau Cubarsí: "100 matches with the club in my life… Well, I hope there will be many more. This is spectacular. Let's achieve many more."
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) December 16, 2025
Barcelona to push decision to summer
Barcelona have been putting out the line that they will not try to force ter Stegen out since the summer, and Sport continue their reporting that this remains the case. If ter Stegen is keen on a loan move this winter, they will not stand in his way, but amid increased doubts about Szczesny’s level, ter Stegen is seen as a strong alternative should Garcia sustain an injury.
When Barcelona will begin pushing ter Stegen out is the summer, if he is still keen to remain. He is under contract until 2028, but as one of Barcelona’s highest earners, they will look for a definitive culmination to the saga next summer, as he is not in their plans for the future.