The ongoing saga surrounding Barcelona captain Marc-André ter Stegen has taken another complex turn, with the goalkeeper announcing that he will undergo back surgery in the coming days.
In a social media post, Ter Stegen called it a “personally difficult day” but explained that after intensive discussions with medical experts, surgery was determined to be the “quickest and safest way” for him to fully recover from persistent back pain he has dealt with since June.
The most critical part of this announcement, however, is the recovery timeline. The German goalkeeper himself stated that doctors believe a recovery period of “about three months will be necessary as a precaution, to avoid any risks.”
This three-month timeline creates a significant and unexpected problem for FC Barcelona. The club’s new goalkeeper, Joan García—who is expected to be the long-term starter—is still not registered to play in La Liga due to the club’s ongoing financial struggles.
Barcelona had reportedly planned to exploit a La Liga rule that allows them to use 80% of an injured player’s salary space to register a new signing. However, this rule only applies if the player is sidelined for a minimum of four months.
Ter Stegen’s three-month recovery estimate is one month short of the four-month threshold Barcelona needs to activate this financial loophole. This effectively ruins their plan to easily register García.
While necessary for his health, Ter Stegen’s surgery has inadvertently created a major headache for the Barcelona board. The saga of his future is now further entangled in a web of medical timelines and complex financial regulations.