Manchester United’s hunt for an elite goalkeeping replacement for Andre Onana could be about to take a turn if reports surrounding Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and his future at Barcelona are to be believed.
It has been relayed previously by The Peoples Person that the German is a legitimate target for the Red Devils, but only if they can shift the Cameroonian to afford the Barca goalie’s asking price.
The 33-year-old has a contract with the Camp Nou outfit until 2028. Still, with the addition of Joan Garcia and the Catalans’ interest in renewing Wojciech Szczesny’s deal, there seems to be no space for the German international.
And as per Spanish publication SPORT, the long-time Barcelona servant is livid with this treatment and wants a resolution.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen unhappy with Barca
His camp has put forth two options for the Barca board to consider: either let him go on a free after agreeing a mutual separation while paying him off for the remainder of his deal or keep him till his contract ends.
“Barça still hasn’t resolved the goalkeeping issue 15 days before the start of preseason. After the signing of Joan García, the club hoped to find a solution for Ter Stegen and renew Szczesny’s contract, but the issue could drag on.
“The German international has already made it clear to the Blaugrana that his contract runs until 2028 and he has no intention of leaving. And if they don’t consider him, the club has a very easy option: they can dismiss him with his full salary until the end.
“Ter Stegen’s anger at the club is immense, especially with the club’s sporting directors. He feels betrayed because he was never informed of Barça’s plans, and above all, he has been hurt by what he considers to be biased leaks from within the club intended to undermine his professionalism.”
This means United could land the six-time La Liga winner on a free, which could significantly ease INEOS’ financial worries.
But the co-owners have stayed away from signing players above a certain age, and whether they change their approach for Marc-Andre Ter Stegen remains to be seen.
Bosman move on the cards
Even if Onana remains, United cannot just sign the Champions League winner especially with Altay Bayindir still at the club. They have to move on at least one backup keeper, now that Tom Heaton has agreed a new one-year deal.
The Turkish international wants regular minutes, but has not set the stage alight when given the chance to start in between the sticks for the Red Devils.
His attempts at returning home have also failed, with most Turkish top teams staying away. United’s goalkeeper hunt could go down to the wire at this rate.
Emiliano Martinez is also a target, but Aston Villa’s asking price is quite steep, something INEOS cannot afford to pay unless Onana leaves.
Feature image Alex Caparros via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
