'I feel like I'm back' - Marc-Andre ter Stegen sends defiant message as Barcelona loanee targets Ajax revival

Ter Stegen has officially joined Ajax on a season-long loan from Barcelona in a bid to reignite his career. The 34-year-old goalkeeper has endured a difficult spell marred by severe back, knee, and hamstring injuries, restricting him to just 12 appearances across the past two seasons with the Blaugrana and Girona. Having undergone intensive rehabilitation since early July, he is now determined to reach peak fitness and fight for the starting spot in Amsterdam.

Addressing lingering doubts over his physical condition, Ter Stegen insisted he has fully recovered and is eager to take to the pitch at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

As quoted by Voetbal International, he said: "Things are going well! I've been back in training for a few weeks now. I already started at Barcelona on July 2 to finish my rehabilitation. That was a goal for me – to be available as quickly as possible. You only really get a feel for where you stand during group training sessions and matches. And I feel like I'm back.

"Every match will be a step forward for me. But I remember when I came back from my knee injury, I played straight away in the Nations League with Germany. There were doubts back then too, but I felt I played two good matches, showing that I could bounce back well even after a setback. I'm really looking forward to playing in this stadium. A beautiful stadium with a great atmosphere – that means a lot. I can't wait."

The arrival of the 44-cap Germany international sees him reunite with former colleague Jordi Cruyff, who was quick to praise the shot-stopper's pedigree and experience.

Discussing the successful deal, Cruyff revealed: "Marc has an outstanding track record, and his qualities are widely recognised. He is an immediate addition to our squad. Marc and I know each other well, and I'm looking forward to working with him again.

"We have been working on bringing him here for quite some time, so we're very pleased that he has signed his contract and can now get started."

Ter Stegen now faces the challenge of proving his durability and consistency on both the Eredivisie and European stages for the Amsterdam giants. At Ajax, the seven-time La Liga winner will go head-to-head with Indonesia international Maarten Paes in a fierce battle to secure the first-choice spot between the posts.