PL club eyeing up potential January move for Barcelona star Marc-Andre ter Stegen: Reports

Aston Villa are reportedly looking to sign Marc-Andre Ter Stegen from Barcelona. The Premier League side want competition for Emiliano Martinez and see the German as the ideal signing.

According to a report in Mundo Deportivo, Aston Villa have contacted Barcelona and Ter Stegen as they look to bolster their squad in January. Unai Emery wants a goalkeeper who can play out from the back, and is trying to lure the German star.

Hansi Flick has Joan Garcia as his #1 at Barcelona and has made it clear that Ter Stegen will not be handed his #1 spot. The German manager has his pecking order set, and the 33-year-old goalkeeper is open to leaving as he looks to fight for his place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.

Lothar Matthäus spoke about Ter Stegen earlier this season, urging the German star to leave, as he felt his time at the club was over. He told BILD that the goalkeeper should be focused on playing regularly elsewhere and said (via BarcaTimes):

"In my opinion, Ter Stegen will not play for Barca again. He needs to play to achieve his dream of participating in the World Cup; if he wants to play in the World Cup, he should leave. I understand [Ter Stegen] — he performed well, was a team captain, and has his life in Barca, but he must accept his fate now. Barça has other ideas and different plans. These are decisions that must be accepted, there's no need to complain as this is part of football. There is nothing and nobody bigger than the club."

Barcelona have Garcia as their #1 with Wojciech Szczęsny as the #2, and are open to selling or loaning Ter Stegen in the winter window.

Manchester City tried to sign Barcelona star in 2016

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was linked with a move to the Premier League in 2016, when Pep Guardiola tried to sign him at Manchester City. The German goalkeeper confirmed that he held a meeting with the Spaniard and told BILD's Phrasenmaher podcast (via Sky Sport Germany):

"We met here in Barcelona. It was crazy: I had to pick up someone else at the airport in the morning, but Pep came out too, with his cap on. I saw him and didn't know what to do. We met that evening at a friend's apartment. The plan sounded very good; I could have seen myself there. Pep wanted to make everything possible, and the club was very committed to me." "When he said we'd wait for the preseason—after two years—I almost got angry. I then spoke to the board. They also said: 'We're not letting you go under any circumstances.' The release clause at the time was €80 million. Three weeks later, Claudio Bravo was at Man City. That was kind of strange. In the end, the transfer didn't happen, and I'm very happy about that."

Marc-Andre ter Stegen was Barcelona's #1 goalkeeper until he suffered the ACL injury last season.

Edited by Sripad