Ter Stegen Nears Barcelona Return Next Week as Bench Role and January Options Loom

Overview

• Medical staff expect to clear the Barcelona captain for the weekend, positioning him to rejoin the squad for the Osasuna match.
• After more than four months out following summer back surgery, he is set for a cautious reintegration rather than an immediate start.
• Hansi Flick has Joan Garcia established as first-choice with Wojciech Szczesny as backup, so Ter Stegen is likely to begin on the bench.
• Barcelona and his agent are preparing for potential January scenarios, with Turkish interest reported but no formal offers to date.
• The club says it will honor his contract through 2028 yet would not block a financially and sporting-wise sensible move, while Deco has left his role at the club open to review, including a possible third-choice finish to the season.