Barcelona captain may have played his final game for the club against Europa | OneFootball

Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s long FC Barcelona career may have quietly reached its end after the German goalkeeper featured in Friday’s preseason friendly against CE Europa.

The veteran shot-stopper played the second half of Barcelona’s 4-1 victory behind closed doors, but with his proposed loan move to Ajax nearing completion, those 45 minutes could prove to be his final appearance in Blaugrana colors.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona and Ajax are closing in on an agreement, with the expectation that Ter Stegen will not travel with Hansi Flick’s squad to England for the club’s preseason training camp.

Ajax move entering the final stages

The report suggests the deal is progressing quickly enough that Ter Stegen could join Ajax before the end of July.

That timeline would allow the German international to be registered in time for the Dutch club’s upcoming UEFA Conference League qualifiers as they prepare for the new Eredivisie season.

Despite returning to full fitness after injury, Ter Stegen is no longer part of Flick’s plans, opening the door for a fresh start in Amsterdam under Michel.

The loan is viewed as an opportunity for the 34-year-old to rebuild momentum after an injury-disrupted period that limited his opportunities over the past year.

If this truly was Ter Stegen’s farewell, it was fittingly understated.

That should not diminish what Ter Stegen has meant to Barcelona.

Across 12 seasons, he established himself as one of the finest goalkeepers in the club’s history, making more than 400 appearances while helping Barca win seven La Liga titles, the Champions League and a host of domestic trophies.

He also helped redefine the modern Barcelona goalkeeper. His distribution, composure under pressure and ability to initiate attacks became just as important as his shot-stopping, making him a perfect fit for the club’s footballing identity.

Every cycle eventually comes to an end, and Barcelona have already begun another one with Joan Garcia.

It remains to be seen if the German shot-stopper secures his move to Ajax and leaves Barcelona before the camp travel to England.