December 10, (THEWILL) – Barcelona football club will not seek to sign a replacement goalkeeper in the January transfer window after first-choice shot-stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen recently underwent surgery for an ongoing back issue. Ter Stegen is expected to be sidelined for around two months as he recovers.
The 30-year-old initially attempted to manage the discomfort and pain in his lower back while continuing to play. However, after missing Barcelona’s last three games across all competitions, the decision was made for Ter Stegen to have an operation to address the problem. The procedure occurred earlier this week at a medical clinic in Bordeaux.
With Ter Stegen absent, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has put his faith in 24-year-old understudy Inaki Pena. Pena was promoted from Barcelona’s B team last season and has seized his opportunity for regular first-team action. He kept a clean sheet in his last outing against Atletico Madrid.
Third-choice keeper Ander Astralaga has moved up the depth chart in Ter Stegen’s absence. 17-year-olds Aron Yaakobishvili and Diego Kochen have also dressed as backup options with the senior squad needing extra bodies on the bench. Therefore, manager Xavi sees no need to dip into the January market for an external signing, expressing confidence in the current crop of goalkeepers at the club.
Ter Stegen has been Barcelona’s firmly established number one since the 2014-15 campaign. His loss for an extended period is a blow to the Catalan club’s hopes of catching up to rivals Real Madrid in the La Liga title race this season. They play Girona at 9pm local time.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
