The German goalkeeper was asked whether his journey with Barcelona was over, or whether the door might open for him again under Hansi Flick. He told Spanish radio station "Cope": "I have not been in contact with Hansi recently, unlike some of the players with whom I still speak from time to time, to check on how they are doing."
"I follow Barcelona's results relatively regularly, and I sometimes watch their matches when they do not clash with our games at Ajax," he continued.
Ter Stegen added: "I played at Barcelona for 12 years, so I have a very close relationship with the club."
On his future, he went on: "We are now only in November, so I cannot really determine what will happen next summer."
Those comments land in the middle of a tangled few years at Barcelona. His role shrank after a run of injuries, all while the club reshuffled its goalkeeping options.
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In September 2024, the German suffered a complete rupture of the patellar tendon in his right knee. The injury kept him off the pitch for around seven months.
During his absence, Barcelona signed Wojciech Szczesny, who came out of retirement. The following summer, in 2025, they brought in Joan Garcia from Espanyol.
By the time Ter Stegen returned to action in spring 2025, Joan Garcia had already nailed down the starting spot under Flick. A new phase of uncertainty over the German's future had begun.
Things got worse in the summer of the same year. He underwent back surgery and then clashed with the Barcelona board over the length of his absence and whether to share his medical data with the Spanish league association, given that the duration of the injury was tied to player registration rules.
The row ran deep. Barcelona stripped him of the captain's armband, only to reverse the decision and hand it back a day later.
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In January 2026, Ter Stegen moved to Girona on loan. He managed just two matches before a muscular injury cut the spell short.
Last August, the German international joined Ajax on loan until the end of the 2026-2027 season, with no purchase clause. His Barcelona contract runs until the summer of 2028.
In the same interview, Ter Stegen also reflected on his years of rivalry with Manuel Neuer for the Germany goalkeeping spot. Sitting on the bench for long periods was not easy, he admitted, despite his huge respect for a rival he rates as one of the best goalkeepers in history.
