Mundo Deportivo has revealed that Marc-André ter Stegen will not return to Barcelona and will remain with Girona until the end of the season despite his recent hamstring injury.
Ter Stegen joined Girona on January 21st, making only two appearances before suffering the injury. He is expected to be sidelined for up to four months and may require knee surgery.
Since the diagnosis, it has been rumored that Girona will try to offload Ter Stegen and terminate his loan, especially given his high salary and the fact that he is unlikely to play again until April or May.
Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, commented on the situation, saying, “We are all saddened. It was a great opportunity for him, and we are very disappointed by his injury.”
He added, effectively closing the door on the German’s return to Barça, “Now Girona and the medical staff have to assess his recovery.”
The latest report from the Catalan newspaper indicated that, even legally, Ter Stegen cannot return to Barcelona after being removed from the La Liga squad list a few days ago, and he cannot be registered again.
The only possible exception to this rule for Ter Stegen would be if the loan was terminated due to force majeure, which is unrelated to his current injury. Furthermore, the contract between Barcelona and Girona does not include a clause allowing for termination in the event of a major injury.
Ter Stegen will remain with Girona, and when he returns, whenever that may be this season, he will play for them. His hope will be to convince Julian Nagelsmann to include him in Germany’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.
