The goalkeeper position at FC Barcelona is, as of today, one of the most overloaded spots in the squad. After the recent contract renewal of Wojciech Szczesny until 2027 and the arrival of Joan García from Espanyol, the club has four goalkeepers for next season. This situation doesn't fit Flick's plans, as he wants to work with two goalkeepers in the squad and reserve the third spot for Diego Kochen, who will be registered with the reserve team.
Deco, aware of the need to lighten the Barça squad and reduce the wage bill, asked the German coach and his staff to choose which players should leave this summer. The idea is for Hansi Flick to point out the two names that aren't in his plans, so the sporting department can start working on their departures as soon as possible. Barça has no room to keep four contracted goalkeepers, and time is running out to close deals before the transfer window progresses.
The chosen ones to leave
Flick and his coaching staff didn't take long to respond, and according to sources close to the club, the coach has decided to rule out Iñaki Peña and Marc-André ter Stegen. In the case of the Alicante-born goalkeeper, there isn't much surprise: his situation had been set for months after he lost the club's trust for sporting and disciplinary reasons. Iñaki Peña is no longer in the coaching staff's plans, and Barça hopes to get about €10 million for him to strengthen other areas.
Ter Stegen's inclusion on the exit list is more unexpected. The German, current team captain and a key figure in recent seasons, doesn't convince Flick as the starting goalkeeper. The coach believes the German's time in Barcelona has come to an end, especially with the arrival of Joan García, whom he sees as the future of the position.
In addition, Ter Stegen wouldn't accept a secondary role, and the upcoming World Cup increases his need to play regularly.
Moves conditioned by financial factors
The decision to part ways with Ter Stegen also stems from financial reasons. His high salary is an obstacle to Barça's financial stability, and the sporting management believes freeing up that wage would allow more room to make signings. At 33 years old, and after several recent injuries, the club understands that now is the right time to look for a move before his market value continues to drop.
Meanwhile, Deco is already working on possible destinations for both goalkeepers. Although the operation won't be easy, especially in the German's case, Barça's intention is to solve the situation as soon as possible to prevent it from dragging on during preseason. Flick has already made it clear that his project doesn't include Ter Stegen or Peña, opening a new chapter in the restructuring of the blaugrana locker room.