Marc-André ter Stegen is set to undergo a medical in Amsterdam before completing a season-long loan move to Ajax, with The Athletic reporting that the 34-year-old left Barcelona's pre-season camp in the United Kingdom on Thursday after the club gave him the green light to travel to the Netherlands. He will not feature in the Blaugrana's friendly against Birmingham City on July 31.
The Athletic first reported on July 3 that Ajax and Barcelona had reached a verbal agreement in principle over the loan, which would cover the entire 2026-27 season. What should have been a routine exit then stalled for the best part of a month over tax complications arising from the legal frameworks in Spain and the Netherlands – specifically, how the additional fiscal charges generated by paying a salary across two jurisdictions would be distributed between the parties.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen directs his teammates during a match for FC Barcelona.
Barcelona sources described the situation as considerably more complicated than initially anticipated, while those close to Ter Stegen's camp said the delays stemmed from a determination to structure the deal correctly rather than rush it through. Those issues were resolved on Thursday, clearing the path for him to fly to Amsterdam. As Ter Stegen himself acknowledged briefly at Birmingham Airport before boarding, the process was not quite finished: he still needs to complete his medical, finalise documentation and sign all relevant agreements before Ajax can formally announce the transfer.
The financial structure of the loan has been the defining complication throughout. Barcelona will continue to pay around 90 per cent of Ter Stegen's wages – a figure that could dip slightly depending on his involvement and achievements at Ajax, but only marginally. That is a consequence of the contract extension he signed in 2023, which was back-loaded with deferred salary payments and runs until 2028, leaving the Catalans carrying the bulk of his remuneration regardless of where he plays.
#stegen #marc #Athletic #thursday
The Athletic first reported on July 3 that Ajax and Barcelona had reached a verbal agreement in principle over the loan, which would cover the entire 2026-27 season. What should have been a routine exit then stalled for the best part of a month over tax complications arising from the legal frameworks in Spain and the Netherlands – specifically, how the additional fiscal charges generated by paying a salary across two jurisdictions would be distributed between the parties.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen directs his teammates during a match for FC Barcelona.
Barcelona sources described the situation as considerably more complicated than initially anticipated, while those close to Ter Stegen's camp said the delays stemmed from a determination to structure the deal correctly rather than rush it through. Those issues were resolved on Thursday, clearing the path for him to fly to Amsterdam. As Ter Stegen himself acknowledged briefly at Birmingham Airport before boarding, the process was not quite finished: he still needs to complete his medical, finalise documentation and sign all relevant agreements before Ajax can formally announce the transfer.
The financial structure of the loan has been the defining complication throughout. Barcelona will continue to pay around 90 per cent of Ter Stegen's wages – a figure that could dip slightly depending on his involvement and achievements at Ajax, but only marginally. That is a consequence of the contract extension he signed in 2023, which was back-loaded with deferred salary payments and runs until 2028, leaving the Catalans carrying the bulk of his remuneration regardless of where he plays.
#stegen #marc #Athletic #thursday
3 months ago
