Barcelona’s long-term goalkeeper and captain, Ter Stegen had a successful operation on his lower back this week but faces a challenge to keep his place in the team after Bar\u00e7a signed goalkeeper Joan Garc\u00eda<\/a> last month from Espanyol<\/a>.<\/p>\n “He’s our No. 1 if he’s fit and if he’s No. 1 at his club,” Nagelsmann said of Ter Stegen to Sky Germany.<\/p>\n “If he returns to being his club’s first-choice goalkeeper, he can certainly be our first-choice goalkeeper, because he deserves it, but the necessary conditions must be met, just like any other player.”<\/p>\n Bar\u00e7a did not specify how long Ter Stegen will be sidelined for.<\/p>\n Reports in Spain say the Catalan club will submit a report to LaLiga’s medical committee stating that Ter Stegen will be out for four months. Bar\u00e7a could have at least 50% of the player’s salary freed up for registration purposes under LaLiga’s injury provision, a rule that applies if a player is sidelined for at least four months.<\/p>\n However, Ter Stegen, 33, said ahead of the surgery that doctors recommended a recovery time of around three months<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nagelsmann said he expects Ter Stegen to return before the end of the year.<\/p>\n “In my mind, I know Marc will be back in December,” he said. “He’ll play both games [for Germany] in March, in June as well, and then he’ll play in the World Cup.”<\/p>\n Ter Stegen, who in 2023 was out for 66 days because of another back operation, missed the majority of last season with a knee injury, which prompted Bar\u00e7a to sign Wojciech Szczesny<\/a>.<\/p>\n Szczesny, who came out of retirement to sign for Bar\u00e7a, recently signed a new two-year deal with Bar\u00e7a to provide cover for Garcia.<\/p>\n – Barcelona defender Jules Kound\u00e9 agrees new five-year contract<\/a> A source told ESPN that Bar\u00e7a were open to Ter Stegen leaving this summer<\/a> following the arrival of Garc\u00eda, but the player was reluctant to depart.<\/p>\n Ter Stegen’s aim is to be fit again and to compete for the No. 1 shirt with the hope of also being Germany’s goalkeeper at the World Cup.<\/p>\nMarc-Andr\u00e9 Ter Stegen’s days as Germany’s No. 1 could be coming to an end.\u00a0Alexander Hassenstein\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
– Barcelona agree new shirt sponsorship deal with Congo DR<\/a>
– Former Barcelona Carles Perez hospitalized after dog bite to genitals<\/a><\/p>\n