Barcelona are reportedly reluctant to sell goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and have set an asking price of £67m for the German.
Spanish publication Sport have revealed that Barcelona regard Ter Stegen as an “un-transferable” player amidst reports linking him to Manchester City. The report states that the club’s hierarchy sat down with the German international at Camp Nou on Tuesday. Ter Stegen said he has a big offer on the table from Manchester City, to which Barcelona’s response was loud and clear.
“If you want to go, pay the [release] clause,” said the club’s representatives, as quoted by Sport.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen has been a regular for the Blaugranes’ in the Champions League since joining the club from Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach two seasons ago. But the German shot-stopper has appeared in only seven La Liga matches for the Catalan club in the past two years and reportedly feels his performances in Europe have proven that he deserves the permanent number 1 spot over Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who has also been the subject of interest from Manchester City (stats via whoscored).
The 24-year-old wants first-team assurances in terms of appearances in La Liga and is prepared to leave if the club fails to promise him substantial game time across all competitions. Manchester City have been seeking a new goalkeeper to challenge Joe Hart between the posts as manager Pep Guardiola feels the English international doesn’t fit the profile of the type of keeper he wishes to have in order to incorporate his playing-style at the Etihad. The former Bayern Munich manager wants a keeper who is comfortable coming out of the goal and on the ball, and has reportedly identified Marc Andre Ter Stegen as a target who fulfils his desired traits.
But Barcelona are standing firm and have made it clear that Manchester City have to stump up the £67m fee, which is the reported release clause inserted in the German’s contract, to prize him away from the Camp Nou. The Citizens must now decide whether to go for the 24-year-old, which would make him the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of football, or to look elsewhere.
