Barcelona have started preparing for life after Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and two young names are now firmly on their radar – Bart Verbruggen of Brighton and Joan Garcia of Espanyol.
In fact, according to a recent report by journalist Santi Aouna, the Catalan club has already asked about Verbruggen’s availability, and he is currently one of the top names on their shortlist, along with Garcia.
After more than a decade of loyal service, doubts are beginning to grow around Ter Stegen’s long-term future at Barcelona.
While he remains the number one for now, the club understands that a smooth transition needs to be planned early.
This has led to serious internal discussions about signing a goalkeeper who can either challenge him soon or take over completely in the coming years.
Garcia seen as affordable and readily available
Among the options, Garcia stands out not only for his talent but also because of his price. Still with Espanyol, he has a release clause of €25 million, and since he was not called up for national team duty, the clause remains active.
Barcelona also have Joan Garcia on their radar. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Barcelona believe this is a golden opportunity in the current market. The club also know that signing Garcia for the 2025/26 season might not be realistic if both Ter Stegen and Wojciech Szczesny are still in the squad.
Because of this, one option being explored is to sign him now and send him on loan for one more season, ensuring that he continues to develop while Barça secure his services early.
What about Verbruggen?
Meanwhile, Verbruggen is attracting attention after a fantastic season at Brighton. The 22-year-old Dutch goalkeeper has emerged as one of the brightest young talents in the Premier League.
Barcelona have already made contact to understand his situation, although no official offer has been made yet.
With both Garcia and Verbruggen in the frame, Barcelona are clearly planning ahead. Whether it is an affordable La Liga talent or a Premier League rising star, the club is actively working to secure their goalkeeping future.
*Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.