Barcelona can feel in safe hands in the goalkeeper position for at least the next 12-15 months, but there is no doubt that by the time that period ends, the Blaugrana hopes to have a follow-up plan for veterans Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Wojciech Szczny. However, one of the options they have viewed now seems to be out of reach.
Since the arrival of Hansi Flick, the German goalkeeper Mio Backhaus has been connected to the Blaugrana next to Staf Marcus Sorg and Heiko Westermann. Sorg was an assistant manager under the age of 19 for Germany when he left to join Barcelona as an assistant to Flick, and would therefore have been well informed of Backhaus' skills.
The 20-year-old has been the backup in Werder Bremen this season, but last season attracted the attention of a number of top clubs while he was on loan at FC Volendam. Barcelona had included him in a list of keepers that they considered as successors for Ter Stegen, but MD says that every hope of relocation is unlikely in the coming years. From sources in Germany they say that Backhaus wants to play football regularly after his next step, which excludes Barcelona as an option where he should wait. Backhaus has already had contact with FC Copenhagen and Brighton, who have also shown interest in him.
Strangely enough, one of the candidates is on the Barcelona Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. Probably, if Backhaus wants the first team of football, and Brighton is an option, that would imply that Verbruggen could also be on the road, making it possible to switch to Barcelona for the Dutchman in the near future.
Ter Stegen has a contract until 2028 and Barcelona will hand over an extension of Szczesny for the following season. With the first now 32, and undergo in a third operation in four seasons, doubts about its viability in the long term. He will be 36 when his current contract ends.
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