Jürgen Klopp’s first Germany squad left Amsterdam with a 1-1 draw in the UEFA Nations League on 24 September. Ter Stegen was the reason it was not worse. He made nine saves and took the man-of-the-match award, and in the second half alone he produced four reflex stops, from Denzel Dumfries, Mexx Meerdink (twice) and Noa Lang.
Felix Nmecha’s 32nd-minute goal was still standing deep into stoppage time before the Netherlands equalised. Germany left with a point. Ter Stegen left with his best 90 minutes for either club or country in more than a year.
That is precisely the kind of evening Barcelona want to see. According to Spanish newspaper SPORT, the Catalan club are keeping a close watch on how the 34-year-old’s “reset” at AFC Ajax unfolds, with the thinking that a strong Eredivisie season will put them in position to offload him permanently for a decent fee in 2027.
A straight loan, no buy clause
The move was confirmed by Barcelona on 4 August and runs until 30 June 2027. There is no option or obligation for Ajax to make the deal permanent, and Barcelona cover the majority of his wages. His contract at Camp Nou still runs to 2028, which is why the sale pathway matters: Barcelona do not want him back.
Read also: Kulusevski back in Spurs squad after 500 days
Ajax technical director Jordi Cruijff did not pretend they had signed a stop-gap when the deal went through.
“Marc has an outstanding track record, and his qualities are widely recognised. He is an immediate addition to our squad,” Cruijff said in the club’s statement.
He reunites in Amsterdam with manager Míchel, who had him for the second half of last season at Girona, a loan cut to just two appearances by a hamstring injury.
Joan García closed the door at Camp Nou
The reason ter Stegen is in the Eredivisie at all is Joan García. Hansi Flick has started the 25-year-old as Barcelona’s No.1 since his summer 2025 move from Espanyol, and after two injury-hit seasons, a ruptured patellar tendon, back surgery and the Girona hamstring, ter Stegen was told to find minutes elsewhere.
Read also: Flick on Yamal: ‘He will be the best in the world, if he isn’t already’
The numbers he leaves behind are not small. Barcelona’s own announcement framed him as “a Champions League winner with Barça in 2015 and the holder of 21 trophies in blaugrana”, with 423 appearances for the club.
Klopp still has a goalkeeper file to close
For Germany, the Amsterdam performance kept ter Stegen in a conversation he had been pushed out of. Manuel Neuer is retired, Klopp inherited the squad in July, and younger options such as Jonas Urbig and Noah Atubolu are in the mix. Nine saves against the Netherlands do not settle the No.1 debate on their own, but they move the veteran back to the front of the queue.
Ajax host NEC Nijmegen on 10 October. Barcelona will be watching that one too.
Read also: One race, then goodbye: Roglic and Evenepoel finally share a Red Bull jersey at Il Lombardia
