How Will Germany Replace Barcelona Goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen?

The internet didn’t take long to respond to the injury of Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The German goalkeeper suffered a ruptured patella tendon during Sunday’s La Liga victory against Villarreal and is expected to be out for several months. On Monday, free-agent goalkeepers like Keylor Navas were the most searched players on Transfermarkt.

“We have to accept Ter Stegen's injury,” Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick said to the media after the Villarreal game. It's not easy. Bernal was injured weeks ago, and now Marc.” At least Barcelona will still have the opportunity to sign a short-term replacement via free agency.

Flick’s successor at the German national team, Julian Nagelsmann, won’t have the same luxury. After Manuel Neuer retired from international football following the Euros, Nagelsmann has to go back to the drawing board regarding who will be the no.1 between the posts in the upcoming months.

"The news of Marc's injury was a big shock for us,” Nagelsmann said. “We will miss him very much in the national team on and off the pitch. We wish Marc all the best for the surgery and a good and speedy recovery. We will always be there for him on his way back.”

Perhaps the upside of this terrible situation is that Germany won’t be playing a major tournament anytime soon. The 2026 World Cup is still almost two years away, which should give Ter Stegen enough time to recover or Nagelsmann to come up with a new long-term solution.

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In some ways, the Ter Stegen injury could accelerate some plans that might have been put into place sooner rather than later anyway. After all, Ter Stegen is already 32, and while he is in a perfect age for a major tournament like the World Cup, what would come after the Barcelona keeper hangs up his boots?

Even the short-term succession isn’t entirely clear. The other goalkeepers in Germany’s rotation are Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Kevin Trapp. Both are in their mid or late 30s, and Trapp is injured.

Another option is Bernd Leno. But the Fulham goalkeeper hasn’t been part of the national team for some time. Then there is the issue: playing for Fulham doesn’t necessarily constitute the sort of top-level the DFB is looking for in their key players.

Stefan Ortega, in the meantime, plays for a top club. On top of that, Ortega seemed poised to become the no.1 at Man City. But then Ederson opted to refuse an offer from Saudi Arabia, and Ortega hasn’t played a single minute yet this season. From a talent and tactical fit, Ortega would be the logical choice.

The 31-year-old is an excellent shot-stopper, and under Pep Guardiola, Ortega used to play an active role in defense in a similar style to Neuer and Ter Stegen. Perhaps a transfer to another club could put Ortega on the DFB’s radar this winter.

Until then, Nagelsmann is likely to look elsewhere. One candidate is VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel. On loan from Bayern Munich, Nübel is already part of Neuer’s succession planning at the club level, and the DFB might as well pave the way for the 27-year-old to take over now.

Another candidate could be Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu. The 22-year-old is still raw, but Freiburg has stuck to him even when he made mistakes last season. After missing the start of the season with an appendectomy, Atubolu has been between the posts in Freiburg’s wins over Bochum (2-1) and Heidenheim (3-0).

Other goalkeepers to watch are Timon Wellenreuther of Feyenoord Rotterdam and the highly talented Jonas Urbig from Köln. Wellenreuther, however, had a horrendous start in the Champions League, and Urbig plays in the 2. Bundesliga.

Either way, Nagelsmann will have to make a tough decision. Will he simply choose a short-term solution, or will he pave the way for a more long-term solution in Germany’s goal? We will find out in October when Germany plays Bosnia and the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League.