Deco gets the job done: five deals solve Barcelona's puzzle

Atletico de Madrid v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second Leg

Barcelona have cleared up much of the uncertainty over the trio who will guard their goal next season.

Last summer brought a strategic investment in Joan Garcia, a goalkeeper for both the present and the future. This window, the club's sporting management have turned to a different problem: the overcrowding building up between the posts after a number of loaned-out players returned from other clubs. 

According to a report in "Sport", sporting director Deco will end the month having done much of the work needed to ease that logjam.

Ter Stegen

Ter Stegen's departure edges closer

Marc-André ter Stegen's case was the trickiest of the lot, both financially and medically. Barring surprises, it will be the next deal to be wrapped up and made official.

The German goalkeeper's contract runs until the summer of 2028. Hansi Flick had no room for him in his plans, though, so ter Stegen agreed to join Ajax Amsterdam on loan. He will link up with Michel, who worked with him last season at Girona.

The tax issues holding up the move have been ironed out in the last few hours. Expect his arrival in Amsterdam to become reality at the start of next week. 

Ter Stegen played 45 minutes against Europa, but he may not travel with the Barcelona delegation to the training camp in England.

Levante UD v Elche CF - LaLiga EA Sports

Iñaki Peña: the end of 14 years with Barcelona

This was one of Barcelona's first pieces of business this summer. Iñaki Peña impressed on loan at Elche during the first half of last season before losing his place to Matias Dituro. Panathinaikos came calling and snapped him up for around 3 million euros.

With that, the Alicante-born goalkeeper ended more than a decade of association with the Catalan club.

Peña has already made his competitive debut for his new side. He played the full 90 minutes in the first leg of UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying, helping the Greek side to a 2-1 away win over Hungary's Paksi.

FBL-ESP-LIGA-BARCELONA-ATLETICO MADRID

Astralaga to Atlético Madrid's reserve team

Barcelona have let Ander Astralaga leave, declining to renew his contract after his loan spell at Granada ended. It brings the goalkeeper's eight-year journey with the club to a close.

Astralaga arrived in the summer of 2018 at youth level. He never managed an official appearance for the first team, though he did feature in a friendly against Manchester City.

His next move is now confirmed. Atlético Madrid's reserve side have announced his signing on a contract running until 2028.

Yaacoub wanted in La Liga

Back with the first team after his loan spell at Andorra, the young Hungarian goalkeeper has begun his preparations for the new season. But both player and club agree that another loan move is the best way to guarantee him regular minutes.

Yakou is 20 years old. He needs to play consistently, and he enjoys a good reputation in Spanish football. 

Journalist Matteo Moretto reports that Racing Santander, Levante and Real Mallorca are all keen.

Valencia CF v FC Barcelona - LaLiga EA Sports

Diego Costa: a loan that smells of farewell

The 20-year-old American goalkeeper was seen as one of Barcelona's bets for the future. Yet his loan to Lyngby Boldklub until the summer of 2027 hands the Danish club a buy option worth almost 1.5 million euros.

Neither party revealed this in their official statements, but Barcelona will keep 40% of the value of any future sale should they give up ownership of the player. That clause lets them cash in if the goalkeeper shines, and it could smooth negotiations over his return down the line.

Cochran needs to play. He has to prove that the great expectations surrounding him during his formative years can translate into professional football, even through a destination considered "exceptional" compared to the norm.

Deco Hansi Flick

The awaited decision: youth or experience?

Joan García is the undisputed first choice between the posts, with Szczęsny sitting behind him as backup on the final year of his deal. That leaves Barcelona's sporting management with two routes to complete their goalkeeping file.

The first, and the most likely, hands the third-choice role to Eeki Rodríguez (born 2008), rated as the standout goalkeeper coming through La Masia, sharing duties with Eder Aller.

Deco could instead turn to the transfer market for an experienced keeper on the cheap to push Szczęsny, and Álex Remiro is the name doing the rounds.

Either way, the picture is sharpening by the day. Most of the question marks have gone, and the rest should follow before long.

The window remains open, mind you. More than a month is left before it shuts, and plenty can still happen before the curtain comes down.