Barcelona set for crunch talks with club captain who might not make matchday squad next season

After being dealt a massive blow in Nico Williams pursuit, Barcelona will look to move on to their preparations for the new season.

The club are expected to return to training soon, but before they do that, securing the future of Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be one of the priorities.

Barça clearly do not want ter Stegen to be a part of the team next season, having roped in Joan Garcia. And therefore, selling him will be critical this summer.

Hansi Flick set for a tough dialogue with ter Stegen

According to Diario SPORT, Barcelona are planning a direct conversation between Hansi Flick and his German compatriot at the very beginning of the preseason.

The message will be clear: Garcia is the new first-choice goalkeeper, while veteran Wojciech Szczesny will remain as backup following his expected renewal. This means ter Stegen might not even be able to make the matchday squad.

Ter Stegen, who has been a starter at Barça since 2016, no longer fits into the club’s plans. The 33-year-old still has a contract until 2028, but Barça are prepared to negotiate a respectful exit.

Options on the table include agreeing to a termination of his deal or offering him a letter of freedom if a suitable offer arrives.

Despite no formal talks during the summer, ter Stegen has already made his stance known to people inside the club. He wants to stay and compete, especially with a World Cup year looming.

However, Barcelona do not see him as a backup and would even consider excluding him from matchday squads if needed.

The German international has been linked with a move to Inter Milan lately, but the Italian giants have reportedly yet to contact either the club or the player.