Germany international goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen could be set for a shock loan move to Ajax, according to a report from Sky Germany.
🚨💥 Marc-André ter Stegen to Ajax – DONE DEAL ✔️
Agreement in principle now reached between Ter Stegen and Ajax. Only final details remain. Agreement between Ajax and FC Barcelona is in place.
One-year loan deal without an option to buy. If nothing unexpected happens, the… pic.twitter.com/gwIN40Erca
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) July 3, 2026
The report claims that negotiations have been successfully concluded among all parties, with reports elsewhere suggesting that Barcelona will pay 90 per cent of his wages for the 2026/27 season.
The veteran goalkeeper is expected to have a medical this week before completing the remaining paperwork to make the move official.
Ter-Stegen in need of a move
Marc-Andre ter Stegen is badly in need of a move away from the Catalan giants after falling out of favour with the club’s coaching staff. Ter Stegen was deemed surplus to requirements at Barcelona following the signing of Joan Garcia from city rivals Espanyol in the summer of 2025.
His first-team appearances were limited to just nine in the 2024/25 season, mainly due to injury. While he was sidelined, Barcelona seemed to move on from the German.
In fact, ahead of the 2025/26 season, Ter Stegen was told he would be the team’s third-choice goalkeeper behind Garcia and fellow veteran Wojciech Szczesny.
Ter Stegen made just one appearance in the season before being allowed to join Girona on loan in the January transfer window. However, the veteran made just two appearances for the club, once again mainly due to injuries.
A move to the Dutch capital could be exactly what Ter Stegen needs to revive his career. Despite being 34, he still has plenty left to give in his career. If he stays fit, then Ter Stegen should play first-team football in Amsterdam in the new season.
Ajax in need of a new goalkeeper
The Dutch giants need goalkeeping additions. Last season, Vítězslav Jaroš was the first-choice goalkeeper after dislodging Remko Pasveer, making 26 appearances in all competitions before picking up a knee injury in February.
The Czech stopper was only on loan from Premier League Liverpool, so has now returned to the Reds after his temporary spell.
Maarten Paes arrived in the winter transfer window from MLS outfit FC Dallas and made 13 appearances after Jaroš’ injury. The 28-year-old Indonesian international produced some solid displays. However, there seems to be doubts over him being first-choice
Veteran goalkeeper Pasveer also made 17 appearances in all competitions, including 15 in the Eredivisie and two in the Champions League. However, Pasveer moved to Heracles Almelo in the January transfer window after losing his starting-lineup spot to Jaroš.
The goalkeeping position has been a bit of a problem for Ajax in recent seasons. Most goalkeepers have struggled to nail down the starting spot, with multiple players competing for it.
Pasveer is the one who has played the most games in a season, having made 41 appearances for Ajax in the 2024/25 season, but the veteran goalkeeper wasn’t a long-term solution.
Signing Ter Stegen could be a massive coup
The signing of Marc-André ter Stegen could well prove to be a massive coup for Ajax this summer. For a goalkeeper, the German is still relatively young, and his quality is undoubted. He is also a known quantity to Ajax’s new head coach Michel, who managed him at Girona.
After last season’s disappointing campaign, the 34-year-old will be keen to prove he can still regularly perform at the top level. He may even feel like he can still break back into the Germany set-up.
The only concern about Ter Stegen will be his injury record, as his game time was highly hampered by injuries. If he can stay fit, then it could be a massive coup for Ajax to have such a quality option between the sticks.