Barcelona sports director Deco said that he does not have to talk to Marc-Andre ter Stegen about his future in the club after completing the signing of Joan Garcia.
Garcia became Barca's first arrival of the summer transfer window and joined City Rivals Espanyol for a reported transfer costs of € 25 million, in which a six -year deal was written.
The Spaniard made an impression in Laliga last season, making most Saves (146) in the division, while also keeping eight clean sheets in his 38 outings for Espanyol.
The arrival of Garcia has questioned the future of Ter Stegen with Barca, with Hansi Flick now has four different keepers to choose the campaign of 2025-26.
Ter Stegen tore his patella tendon in September last year and ruled him for the rest of the season, with Wojciech Szczesny retired to replace him.
Inaki Pena, who played 23 times over all competitions in 2024-25, is also another option, with reports that suggest that Ter Stegen will be Barca's third choice next year.
“I don't have to talk to him. My obligation is to make the best team possible for the coach. This is not my responsibility,” Deco told La Vanguardia.
“There is no contract that says you are going to play, whatever happens. From now on it is the coach who makes the decisions, and every player has his own ambitions.
“We have made the decision to sign a young keeper. It means that he can play tomorrow, sit on the couch or play in a year or two.
“We have certain expectations for Joan who have to be met. Everyone starts all over again. It is the manager who has to decide.”
Deco gave an example of the goalkeeper situation in Liverpool, when discussing the future of Barca's options in Ter Stegen and Szczesny, and the implication of Garcia that participated.
The Premier League champions have Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili as their top two choices, which allowed Cooimhin Kelleher to come to Brentford earlier this month with a permanent deal.
“Last year and the year before, Ter Stegen was injured and we only had Inaki Pena. We have good keepers from the Youth Academy, but they are very young,” Deco added.
“We turn to Szczesny, who has performed spectacularly. Look at Liverpool. They have Alisson, 32, and they signed one of the best in La Liga, Mamardashvili, which is 24.
“When these kinds of opportunities come by, you can't waste them, because otherwise he will go somewhere else.”
Deco also expects Szczesny to extend his stay at Blaugrana after a series of impressive displays, especially in their run to the semi -final of the Champions League.
“He will certainly renew,” Deco said about Szczesny. “We will have to make a decision with Inaki Pena because we have four keepers in the first team.”