Barcelona have confirmed that Germany goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will spend the 2026-27 season on loan at Ajax, in a move that ends his immediate involvement with the Catalan club after he lost his place in the starting line-up.
The agreement will keep ter Stegen at Ajax until 30 June 2027. Barcelona had been keen to find a solution for the goalkeeper, whose substantial salary had become an issue after he was no longer the first-choice goalkeeper for the club.
In a statement published on their official website, Barcelona said: “The club announces that it has reached an agreement with Ajax for the loan of its German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen until 30 June 2027.”
The move will represent ter Stegen’s second loan spell under manager Michel. The goalkeeper previously worked with the coach during his time at Girona, although he made only two appearances for the club because of injury.
Barcelona added that the pair would now be reunited at a club which has won four European Cups and 36 league titles, as well as a lengthy list of other honours and achievements.
Ter Stegen, 34, joined Barcelona’s senior set-up from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014 and went on to establish himself as one of the club’s most important players. He was part of the side that won the Champions League in 2015 and has collected 21 trophies during his Barcelona career.
The goalkeeper has made 423 appearances for the club. That places him 11th in Barcelona’s all-time list for official appearances and second among the club’s foreign players, behind only Lionel Messi.
Barcelona said ter Stegen now hoped his loan spell in Amsterdam would allow him to rediscover the form he produced on many occasions during his time at Camp Nou.
The club concluded: “Ter Stegen now hopes, during his experience with Ajax, to regain the outstanding level he displayed on many occasions during his time with Barcelona.”
His departure marks a significant change for a player who had been a long-standing figure in Barcelona’s first team. However, the club’s announcement makes clear that the loan has been agreed for one season, with the arrangement running through to the end of June 2027.
