Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen to take surgery decision next week | OneFootball

Barcelona are keen on the idea of captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen having surgery to resolve an ongoing back issue. The German goalkeeper is weighing up the decision, which could resolve some short-term issues for Blaugrana.

Ter Stegen has spent the last week training in the gym, as back pain continues to obstruct him. Two options are on the table: following a more conservative treatment based on rest and physiotherapy, or to have surgery. The surgery would rule him out for four months, and Sport say that he will take the decision next week.

Barcelona keen on surgery for ter Stegen

El Chiringuito say that Barcelona are keen for ter Stegen to undergo the surgery, while Sport explain that between the club doctors, some external consults and the German national team doctors, he has been advised by all to have surgery. In theory he would recover easily from the procedure, which is unlikely to have complications.

Image via David Ramos/Getty Images

For Barcelona, it would allow them to register his replacement Joan Garcia due to the injury-rule, using 80% of his salary, and pushing a problem down the line until January. From his perspective, ter Stegen would have the chance to resolve the matter, and then have six months to potentially head out on loan and get back to full sharpness, before the 2026 World Cup.

On the other hand, it would more or less relinquish the number one spot, and his chances of getting it back would be slim.

FIFA could also cover costs for Barcelona

As per MD, ter Stegen first began struggling with the back issue on international duty with Germany during the Nations League games. For long-term injuries suffered while playing for an international side, FIFA pay out €20,548 per day in compensation, and FIFA were already informed of the injury. If ter Stegen were to be ruled out and have the surgery, it could be worth as much as €2.5m to the Catalan side.