“Does not depend on Ter Stegen” – Joan Laporta gives update on Barcelona registration issue

Barcelona start their 2025-26 La Liga campaign in two weeks’ time against Mallorca, but they are yet to register their new signings – as well as some players that have signed new contracts during the off-season.

At this stage, it is difficult for Barcelona to have the likes of Marcus Rashford and Wojciech Szczesny for the trip to Son Moix, but in the case of Joan Garcia, there is perhaps more confidence – and this is because of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

Ter Stegen underwent surgery earlier this week on a back problem, and although he himself stated that he will be out for three months, Barcelona believe he will be absent for at least four – which would allow him to be de-registered, with 80% of his salary able to be used to register Garcia.

But even if they do not win their race with La Liga, Barcelona president Joan Laporta is confident of having Garcia and co registered before the end of the summer, as per MD.

“It is progressing properly. It is better to do the work and not to air it. We do our job and we are convinced that we will be able to register everyone. (Joan Garcia’s registration) does not depend on the absence of Ter Stegen. What happens is that, via the withdrawal of Ter Stegen, which is an important loss, it is the most direct way to make the registration.”

Ter Stegen’s decision to release a statement claiming that he will be back in three months’ time did not go down well at all within Barcelona, with a number of club officials now calling for the 33-year-old be stripped of his position as first-choice captain.