Saudi giants Ittihad Jeddah are said to be keen on signing German keeper Marc-André ter Stegen from Barcelona during the upcoming summer transfer window.
In response to Ittihad fans’ frustration over inadequate reinforcement in past transfer windows, the Saudi Tigers are now taking steps to address the issue ahead of the upcoming summer.
Ittihad Jeddah recently dropped Brazilian goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe from their squad, opting for national goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf, and now seems to be in search of a new foreign goalkeeper.
According to Spanish outlet Relevo, Ittihad have opened negotiations to sign Barcelona’s first-choice keeper Marc-André ter Stegen next summer as a replacement for the departed Brazilian goalie.
The interest comes after Ittihad hired new sporting director Ramón Planes, who served as Director of Professional Football & Sporting Director at Barcelona between 2018 to 2021.
Marc-André ter Stegen has returned as a starter for Barcelona after recovering from a back injury that kept him out of action for over two months this season. He has only played in 16 out of 26 league matches this season.
The 31-year-old goalkeeper seems very comfortable at Barcelona, where he has proven himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world; however, receiving an offer from Saudi Arabia may make him reconsider his career.
Revelo pointed out that Barcelona’s financial situation is not ideal, and therefore selling ter Stegen during the upcoming transfer window will help balance the accounts in the future.
The management of Barcelona, led by Joan Laporta, announced last August the extension of ter Stegen’s contract until June 30, 2028, with a release clause set at 500 million euros.