Ter Stegen says goodbye to Barcelona, Brandt joins Ajax

Marc-André ter Stegen took off this evening (Friday) from Birmingham on a private flight chartered for him by Ajax. The German goalkeeper said goodbye to his teammates at Barcelona and refused to comment on his immediate future at the airport, despite questions from waiting journalists. He only agreed to say:

"It is not closed yet."

The 34-year-old goalkeeper flew to the capital of the Netherlands to finalize the last details. Everything points to a one-season loan deal, following several weeks of negotiations and consultations with tax authorities regarding the impact on his salary during the 11 months he will reside in the Dutch city.

Upon his arrival in Amsterdam, Ter Stegen is expected to undergo medical examinations at Ajax, although there is no doubt that he has fully recovered from the left hamstring injury sustained in late January while playing for Girona under Míchel Sánchez, which prevented him from participating in the World Cup.

Ter Stegen participated in the second half of Barcelona's friendly match last week and has been training without issues since July 13. However, the official announcement of his loan for the upcoming season may be delayed until Monday, as Ajax is a publicly traded company.

Subject to the completion of the agreement, Barcelona will bear 90% of Ter Stegen's salary, whose contract is valid until 2028. However, this rate may decrease slightly depending on the number of matches in which he participates under Míchel, the biggest supporter of the move alongside sporting director Jordi Cruyff.

Another German who signed this evening is Julian Brandt. The 30-year-old playmaker, who can also play on the wings, finished his contract with Borussia Dortmund after seven years and signed with Ajax until 2029. Brandt scored three goals in 48 appearances for the German national team but has not been called up for almost two years.