Ter Stegen opens up on leaving Barcelona: ‘Hard for me to talk about it’

Barcelona captain Marc-Andre Ter Stegen left the club and joined Girona on a temporary loan deal earlier this week in a transfer that looks to be a favour handed to the player by the club.

After all, it was initially expected that Barcelona would use the upcoming FIFA World Cup and his need for minutes as a card to negotiate a permanent exit, but it turns out that they are not only covering most of his salary but have also not included any purchase clause.

In many ways, it appears that the Catalans are handing him a free ticket to the World Cup while also helping him retain his place in the first team and the wage bill with no fight.

Ter Stegen speaks

Speaking to the media as a new Girona player earlier this week, the former Barcelona captain opened up on what he expected from the loan and made it very clear that he was not there to play as a backup option.

“I have the utmost respect for [Paulo] Gazzaniga’s career, but I’m coming here to play.”

Ter Stegen has joined Girona on loan. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

He then spoke on how leaving Barcelona was not easy, more so at this stage in his career, and how he had a lot of emotional bondage to the club.

“It’s still hard for me to talk about it. It’s a big change after 12 years. I have unforgettable memories. I was the captain of Barça.”

Finally, Ter Stegen made it very clear that it was only a temporary arrangement and that he plans to return to Barcelona and defend the Blaugrana crest next season.

“It is hard to leave a locker room and a goalkeeping coach who has been with me for almost a decade.”

“I will always keep an excellent memory of them, and from next season, I will be with them again,” he added.

Source: Mundo Deportivo