What Joan García brings to Barcelona and he could force out Ter Stegen

Barcelona's archetypal signing of the summertime is 1 which stokes fires wrong the Catalan metropolis arsenic goalkeeper Joan García arrives from rivals Espanyol. But it could besides perchance propulsion the semipermanent No. 1 and skipper Marc-André ter Stegen retired of the club.

García, 24, had drawn Premier League involvement (mainly from Arsenal) implicit the past 12 months and supporters of Espanyol would loved to person seen him determination to England if it meant helium didn't go the archetypal subordinate to determination straight to Barça since Igor Korneev successful 1994, 7 years earlier García was adjacent born.

However, the lure of staying section and joining the LaLiga champions, who are led by a young halfway of stars including Lamine Yamal and Pedri, proved excessively strong. Sources told ESPN that Barça acted rapidly to motion the player due to the fact that his €25 cardinal merchandise clause was "an unthinkable marketplace opportunity."

In fearfulness of a backlash, García turned disconnected comments connected his societal media channels arsenic helium announced helium was crossing the divide, but the consequences of the transportation whitethorn yet beryllium bigger wrong Barça than outside.

There is already a concerted propulsion for Ter Stegen to leave, though the 33-year-old Germany international, for now, remains steadfast successful his tendency to stay. The summertime is long, though, and the signing of García volition pb to repercussions successful the goalkeeping department, adjacent if that means Wojciech Szczesny and Iñaki Peña depart alternatively than Ter Stegen.

Why did Barça request a caller goalkeeper?

When manager Hansi Flick and sporting manager Deco addressed Barça's needs this summer, determination were nary evident areas wherever the starting XI could beryllium instantly improved. However, sources told ESPN determination was an acknowledgement the squad was not the finished nonfiction and that, to determination to the adjacent level, tweaks would beryllium needed to assistance the side's evolution.

There was a feeling that definite positions needed much extent and competition. Deco told ESPN past period 1 country wherever that is the lawsuit is connected the wings, owed to a reliance connected Yamal and Raphinha.

Another presumption wherever recruits person been explored, ESPN antecedently reported, is astatine full-back, though the nine are present prioritizing different signings.

There are besides 2 different positions wherever Barça person known for a portion they needed to fortify sooner oregon later. The archetypal is simply a centre-forward, with Robert Lewandowski turning 37 this summertime and retired of declaration adjacent year. The second, a goalkeeper, was not needfully viewed arsenic urgent, but has go an contented pursuing an wounded to Ter Stegen past September and a leaky backline costing the squad successful the second stages of the Champions League.

It has been 9 years since determination was immoderate statement astir the goalkeeper position. In the summertime of 2016, Ter Stegen, aft 2 years playing lone successful cupful competitions, told the nine it was either him oregon Claudio Bravo. Barça picked Ter Stegen; Bravo joined Manchester City.

Since then, Jasper Cillessen, Neto, Jordi Masip and, much recently, Peña person each played 2nd fiddle to Ter Stegen.

Any hopes Peña had of being the semipermanent No. 1 disappeared erstwhile Ter Stegen got injured and Barça asked erstwhile Juventus and Arsenal goalkeeper Szczesny to travel retired of retirement. Peña kept the gloves for a while, but was yet replaced by Szczesny and, sources told ESPN, is unfastened to leaving.

Ter Stegen returned from a ruptured tendon up of docket to marque 2 inconsequential appearances astatine the extremity of the season, but sources accidental Barça already had successful the backmost of their caput that if the close goalkeeper became available, possibly it was clip to invest.

Flick's broadside conceded 39 goals successful 38 LaLiga games -- much than immoderate different broadside successful the apical 4 -- but it was successful the Champions League wherever the value of an elite shot-stopper was glaringly obvious.

Barça conceded 24 times successful 14 European games, including 7 successful a semifinal decision to Internazionale. In the archetypal leg, a 3-3 gully successful Barcelona, Inter registered an xG (expected goals) of conscionable 0.84. In the instrumentality game, Inter won 4-3 with an xG of 2.24 to Barça's 2.81. The quality was the saves made by Inter's Yann Sommer; not by Szczesny.

There is nuance here. Barça's precocious antiaircraft line, coupled with idiosyncratic mistakes from outfield players astatine inopportune moments, occasionally leaves the goalkeeper exposed. Teams often person fewer chances against them, but the ones they bash person tin fertile precocious successful xG.

However, successful the second stages of competitions erstwhile the finer details instrumentality connected an adjacent greater magnitude, sources accidental the nine felt they could amended successful the goalkeeper presumption based connected a inclination implicit caller seasons, not conscionable the past one.

What makes García special?

For the 2nd clip successful 3 years, Barça won the league astatine rivals Espanyol, but the show from the location team's goalkeeper had not gone unnoticed by Szczesny, who played successful extremity for Flick's broadside that night.

"I privation to praise García," helium said aft the crippled past month. "I deliberation he's been the champion goalkeeper successful LaLiga this play and helium has a large aboriginal up of him."

Szczesny's comments are shared by many. By astir metrics, García was the standout goalkeeper successful Spain and the cardinal to Espanyol staying up by conscionable 2 points.

There was a agelong database of phenomenal performances: successful the 1-0 triumph against Real Madrid; successful a captious goalless gully against Leganés (Espanyol's relegation rivals); and against Mallorca, erstwhile helium saved 2 penalties, albeit 1 was yet retaken and condemned Espanyol to defeat.

No goalkeeper successful LaLiga made much saves (145) and lone 2 (Athletic Club's Unai Simón and Atlético Madrid's Jan Oblak) bettered his 73.6% prevention occurrence rate. Szczesny's was 63.6% successful 15 appearances, Peña's 65.5% successful 16 games, and Ter Stegen's arsenic debased arsenic 58.3% successful his 8 outings.

García's saves meant helium ended the play with 8.4 GPrv (goals prevented), different league high. Szczesny's GPrv was 0.23, Pena's -1.00 and Ter Stegen's -2.56. In his 9 seasons arsenic Barça's No. 1 successful LaLiga, Ter Stegen has lone erstwhile bettered García's 8.4, erstwhile helium registered 9.15 successful 2022-23 arsenic Barça won LaLiga and helium tied the league's cleanable expanse grounds (26) for a azygous season.

García's displays successful Espanyol's extremity caused teammate Sergi Gómez, himself a erstwhile Barça player, to statement him "the champion goalkeeper successful the world" already.

"He has qualities I've ne'er seen successful apical level keepers before," Gómez said. "I person ne'er seen thing similar it: reflexes, bravery, prime with the shot astatine his feet, leadership, the information helium offers. In training, retired of 200 shots, helium saves them all."

That does not mean García volition beryllium a guaranteed occurrence astatine Barça. Even by goalkeeping standards, he's a comparatively precocious arriver astatine the apical stage. He was lone promoted to No. 1 astatine Espanyol conscionable implicit a twelvemonth ago, coming into the broadside successful the last stages of the run and helping them triumph promotion backmost to LaLiga. Interest from Arsenal followed, sources told ESPN astatine the time, but helium stayed astatine Espanyol, featuring successful each 38 league matches successful his archetypal top-flight season.

So adjacent successful his excellence astatine Espanyol, determination volition beryllium doubts astir his acquisition to grip the measurement up astatine Barça. Aside from the accrued pressure, it is astir a wholly antithetic job. It is little astir quantity and much astir prime and concentration. Espanyol faced 197 shots connected people past season, lone Rayo Vallecano (210) allowed more, portion Barça ranked 20th successful the 20-team league with 112. The scrutiny and anticipation to marque saves is connected a antithetic level.

It is besides not the lone occupation astatine Barça; you person to present with your feet. Gómez says that volition not beryllium a problem, but again it's a caller mode of playing.

Of goalkeepers to play much than 10 matches successful LaLiga past season, García ranked 14th successful walk occurrence rate: 66.9% (709/1059). Peña (87.6%) and Szczesny (87.5%) ranked archetypal and second. The information shows a batch of that is due to the fact that of the benignant of passes an Espanyol goalkeeper is asked to play successful examination to a Barça goalkeeper, but it besides highlights it's a benignant helium has not yet played.

The overriding numbers, though, are good. It's wherefore Arsenal tried to bushed the rush, and wherefore Manchester City, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and AFC Bournemouth were each linked. It's wherefore Barça acted quickly. It's wherefore Espanyol volition beryllium lamenting lone including a €25m clause erstwhile they renewed his woody successful 2023 -- and not updating it since.

What does this mean for Ter Stegen?

Barça, for present astatine least, person 4 goalkeepers: García, Ter Stegen, Szczesny and Peña. Sources told ESPN they expect Peña's departure, portion determination remains an anticipation Szczesny volition motion an extended contract. A renewal connection remains connected the array for the Poland international, but sources suggested helium whitethorn beryllium waiting to spot however the Ter Stegen concern plays retired earlier re-committing.

That's due to the fact that determination is simply a Ter Stegen dilemma.

The 33-year-old has been subjected to a akin media run to the 1 Frenkie de Jong suffered erstwhile Barça tried to unit him to articulation Manchester United a fewer summers ago. Stories person been leaked astir him being a atrocious power arsenic a skipper successful the dressing room, sulking that helium wasn't instantly re-installed arsenic goalkeeper erstwhile helium returned from injury, and ensuring the players didn't springiness speeches connected the time Barça lifted the trophy astatine the Olympic Stadium successful May.

Club sources told ESPN that they don't person to explicate thing astir García's signing to Ter Stegen, conscionable arsenic they wouldn't person to talk to Iñigo Martínez if they decided to bring successful different centre-back.

However, different sources with cognition of the concern accidental Barça could look to usage the information the World Cup is astir the country successful North America successful 2026 and Ter Stegen needs to play if helium wants to proceed arsenic Germany's No. 1, a relation yet bestowed connected him aft Manuel Neuer's planetary status past year. He got disconnected to a bully commencement astatine the UEFA Nations League this month, impressing against Portugal and France, but hanging connected to the gloves volition beryllium pugnacious if helium is not playing.

Ter Stegen has, truthful far, insisted he's not going anywhere.

"I cognize I volition beryllium astatine Barcelona adjacent season," helium stressed astatine the commencement of the month.

Sources accidental that remains his presumption and, for that reason, determination is perfectly nary request for him to talk again, detailing 3 important reasons wherefore helium wants to stay.

The archetypal and superior motive is shot reasons. Ter Stegen believes helium tin inactive present arsenic Barça's No. 1 aft his wounded and that determination is nary amended spot to beryllium up of the World Cup.

The 2nd is much personal. He is blessed successful the metropolis and adjacent to his 2 children aft separating from his semipermanent partner. He precocious moved into a caller location and immoderate benignant of stableness close present is important for him and his family.

Thirdly, helium has a declaration until 2028 and paying it disconnected to let him to permission for escaped whitethorn beryllium retired of Barça's terms range. Ter Stegen signed his latest woody successful 2023, nether existent president Joan Laporta, and agreed to further widen erstwhile deferrals connected wage payments to assistance easiness the club's fiscal problems. As a result, he's inactive owed astir €10m nett per twelvemonth successful each of the adjacent 3 seasons from delayed net dating backmost to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It creates a analyzable concern and determination is nary contiguous extremity successful sight. Sources accidental involvement from AS Monaco, Galatasaray and clubs successful Saudi Arabia volition not beryllium considered but, with Barça not backmost successful grooming for a month, the commencement of LaLiga 2 months distant and the closing of the transportation model not until Sept. 1, thing should beryllium wholly ruled out.

Each enactment progressive has their preferred outcome. Something whitethorn person to give.