Goalkeeper hammer? Marc-André ter-Stegen is being traded at Bayern | OneFootball

Marc-André ter Stegen has surprisingly been linked with FC Bayern, but behind the prominent name lies less a real option and more an exciting mind game about Neuer’s successor

With Jonas Urbig, FC Bayern have long had a goalkeeper in their squad who is set to take over from Manuel Neuer. Nevertheless, new names keep popping up around the German record champions – mostly high-calibre, mostly prominent. Now Marc-André ter Stegen, a long-serving DFB regular keeper, is even being brought into play

Manuel Neuer will end his career in the foreseeable future. Even if the 39-year-old extends his contract once again, he will retire in 2027 at the latest. This certainty inevitably means that the goalkeeping question is being discussed again and again at Säbener Straße. Internally, however, the distribution of roles is clear: Jonas Urbig is considered the designated heir, was deliberately signed and is to be built up step by step – alongside Neuer, not in the shadow of another veteran

Ter Stegen is stuck in Barcelona

photo: IMAGO

Marc-André ter Stegen, meanwhile, finds himself in a tricky situation in sporting terms. After almost seven months out injured, the 33-year-old recently celebrated his comeback at FC Barcelona. But his return has not changed the new hierarchy. Head coach Hansi Flick has declared Joan Garcia the new number one in ter Stegen’s absence – and is sticking to this decision

Particularly explosive: Ter Stegen is not even set as the clear number two. Instead, he is competing with Wojciech Szczęsny for the role of stand-in keeper. This is a problematic starting position for a goalkeeper with World Cup ambitions. With a view to the 2026 World Cup, ter Stegen needs match practice – urgently

According to Spanish newspaper SPORT, the German international keeper is therefore seriously thinking about leaving in the winter. Several clubs are said to have already signalled their interest , as transfer insider Ekrem Konur claims to have learned. These include clubs from the Premier League, Ligue 1 and Turkey. FC Bayern also appear in these reports – albeit more as a thought experiment than a concrete option

Why a move to Bayern makes no sense

As sonorous as the name ter Stegen is, it doesn’t fit into the current Bayern construct. The keeper will be 34 in the summer and earns a rumoured €20 million per year at Barcelona. This would immediately put him in the absolute top earning category in Munich – for a position that the club wants to rejuvenate in the long term

Bayern’s strategic approach also plays a role. In Urbig, they have deliberately opted for a goalkeeper who not only impresses in sporting terms, but also fits in with their age structure and medium-term planning. The 22-year-old has shown in his previous appearances that he has the level to become the number one in the future. Even Manuel Neuer sees him as his successor – a clear signal

A transfer of ter Stegen would counteract this path. Instead of development, there would be a short-term security idea, which would be expensive and would bring new unrest to the goalkeeping structure. Bayern want to avoid precisely such temporary solutions after the experiences of recent years

Ultimately, the rumour surrounding Marc-André ter Stegen is more an expression of his difficult situation in Barcelona than a realistic scenario for FC Bayern. Munich have long since found their answer to the Neuer question – and it goes by the name of Jonas Urbig.