The German goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, Barcelona's goalkeeper, is close to moving to Ajax Amsterdam on loan for the next season, after reaching a preliminary agreement between the Dutch club, Barcelona, and the player.
Marc ter Stegen
Club: Girona
The Spanish newspaper Marca revealed that the agreement came after long negotiations due to the goalkeeper's high salary, as ter Stegen earns around 20 million euros annually. Ajax was unable to bear this amount, so a formula was reached whereby the Dutch club would pay just over 10% of the salary, while Barcelona would bear the majority.
Some final details are still being finalized, most notably the player undergoing a medical examination in Amsterdam to ensure his full recovery from injury before the official announcement of the deal.
The Spanish coach Miguel Michel, Ajax's coach, played a pivotal role in bringing the deal close to completion, as he previously worked with ter Stegen during his loan period to Girona last season and succeeded in bringing him in under similar financial terms.
Michel, the current Ajax coach, expressed his desire to sign the German goalkeeper and give him the opportunity to play as a starter, which encouraged the player to agree to the move.
Ter Stegen realized the difficulty of getting a chance to play with Barcelona in the new season, given the coaching staff's reliance on the young goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who had a strong season and established himself as the first choice under coach Hans Flick.
It is worth noting that ter Stegen's contract with Barcelona extends for two more seasons, and the goalkeeper is expected to travel to Amsterdam in the coming days to join Ajax's training once the official procedures are completed.