Setback For Chelsea As 14M Target Is Set To Sign Five-Year Contract With Barcelona: Report

FC Barcelona’s star goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has agreed to sign the long-delayed contract extension with the Catalans.

Sports journalist Fabrizio Romano, who specializes in transfer markets in Europe, revealed on his Twitter page that Barca president Josep Bartomeu has confirmed Ter Stegen will stay at the club until 2025.

Ter Stegen, who has just two years left on his current contract with Barcelona, has been on transfer target lists of top European clubs such as Bayern Munich. Chelsea was the latest club to show interest in the German shot-stopper. The Blues boss Frank Lampard, who is believed to be fed up with the world’s most expensive goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, had identified Ter Stegen as an ideal replacement at Chelsea.

Although Chelsea had not made any official bid for Ter Stegen, Barcelona in a recent interview had cleared that their goalkeeper was "non-transferable" as he has been their second-most valuable player after captain Lionel Messi on and off the field.

It was understood that Ter Stegen demanded Barcelona to include him in the same pay bracket as Messi and that had been delaying his contract extension, thereby allowing other clubs to make him their transfer target. According to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, only personal terms need to be agreed between Ter Stegen and the La Liga side as his wages remain the only problem. The report has claimed that their sources have revealed both the parties are getting closer to agreeing to the final salary.

Barcelona signed Ter Stegen in 2014 for a fee of $14 million from Borussia Mönchengladbach. The Germany national has gone on to make 234 appearances for La Blaugrana and has cemented his place as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world.

It is believed that apart from Ter Stegen, Barcelona are keen to provide new contracts to the likes of Messi and Ansu Fati, who moved from La Masia Academy to their first-team this season. The club is also looking to offload several players this summer because of the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Barcelona recently lost the La Liga title to rivals Real Madrid, while both the clubs are alive in the UEFA Champions League. Ter Stegen is set to make his 235th competitive appearance for the Catalans when the club hosts Napoli in the return leg of their Round of 16 fixture. The first leg that took place in Italy ended in a 1-1 draw and that gave a crucial away goal to Barcelona.