La Liga heavyweights Barcelona have reportedly identified 20-year-old SV Werder Bremen goalkeeper Mio Backhaus as a candidate to be Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s successor.
According to an update by Spanish journalist Jordi Cardero, Mio Backhaus is the subject of interest from Barcelona. The Catalan giants are scouring the market for a goalkeeper as they look to sign a long-term successor to Marc-Andre ter Stegen. So, the 20-year-old SV Werder Bremen shot-stopper has emerged as a target for the Blaugrana.
Who is Mio Backhaus?
Mio Backhaus is one of the best young prospects in the Bundesliga, even though he has yet to break into the first-team squad at SV Werder Bremen. A native of Monchengladbach, he was eligible to represent Germany and Japan in international football and spent his formative years in both countries.
The 20-year-old passed through the academies at Kawasaki Frontale and Alemannia Aachen but graduated from the youth division at Werder Bremen. However, Backhaus spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Dutch club FC Volendam, where he endured a trial by fire, conceding 80 goals in 34 outings while keeping only three clean sheets.
Nevertheless, the German goalkeeper’s stock in the market remains high, with several high-profile clubs across Europe setting their sights on him. The youngster’s next destination might be Barcelona, with the Blaugrana considering him as a candidate to take over from Marc-Andre ter Stegen in a few years.
La Liga move on the horizon?
Barcelona’s interest in Mio Backhaus is understandable. The Catalan giants are scouring the market for a goalkeeper heading into the 2025 summer transfer window as they look for a long-term successor to Marc-Andre ter Stegen. While the German international has been a mainstay in the middle of the park for Barcelona for nearly a decade, he has been error-prone in the last 12 months.
So, Barcelona should dip into the market for a goalkeeper, with several candidates, including Diogo Costa, emerging on the Catalan club’s radar. However, Backhaus is also a viable target, with the 20-year-old SV Werder Bremen prospect having the potential to be the long-term solution between the sticks for Barcelona.
Backhaus is not the only goalkeeper on Barcelona’s radar, with the Blaugrana also considering Bart Verbruggen, Diogo Costa, and Guillaume Restes as candidates to take over from Marc-Andre ter Stegen. So, it will be interesting to see which shot-stopper bolsters Barcelona’s goalkeeping department next year.
