Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has joined Girona on loan for the remainder of the season.
Sources involved in the negotiations have told The Athletic that Ter Stegen’s loan deal will include a clause preventing him from facing Barca. The clubs face each other in La Liga on February 15. Girona could break that clause by paying a significant compensation — which is not expected to be triggered.
Ter Stegen wants to play at this summer’s World Cup for Germany and needs to be in regular action at club level to do that. He is expected to be given that playing time at Girona, a fellow Catalan club.
👋 BENVINGUT TER STEGEN
🔗 https://t.co/cS7FBBhmDY pic.twitter.com/FBDM2vOvDx
— Girona FC (@GironaFC) January 20, 2026
Sources have told The Athletic that Girona, who are part of the City Football Group, will pay €500,000 towards Ter Stegen’s salary with Barca covering the rest. The goalkeeper will waive any title bonuses that he is entitled to should Barca, who are one point clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, win the league.
Barca signed goalkeeper Joan Garcia in a €25million deal from Espanyol in the summer and he has firmly established himself as Hansi Flick’s No 1 this season, making 20 appearances in all competitions and keeping nine clean sheets either side of nearly two months out with a knee injury.
Ter Stegen’s contract runs until 2028, with significant wages that include salary deferrals from previous seasons.
The 33-year-old has shown no intention of wanting a permanent move and has previously made clear he wants to fight for his place in the team, with the club also having wanted to sell him in the summer before he sustained a long-term back injury.
Barcelona stripped Ter Stegen of the captaincy in August and opened disciplinary proceedings against him due to an argument centring on his injury. He subsequently signed a medical document that was at the heart of the dispute and was reinstated as captain.
Ter Stegen returned to the matchday squad in December after missing the opening months of the season through injury and has featured just once, starting the Copa del Rey win over CD Guadalajara. He was also restricted to just nine appearances in all competitions during the 2024-25 campaign due to a serious knee injury.
The Germany international joined Barca from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014 and was named club captain ahead of the 2024-25 season.
He has made 423 appearances for the club, winning six La Liga titles, six Copa del Reys and the Champions League in 2015.
Girona are currently 11th in La Liga, five points above the relegation zone and seven points off a top-six spot which would offer European qualification.