Germany goalkeeper Ter Stegen joins Ajax on loan from Barcelona aiming to catch Klopp’s eye

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — Germany goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen joined Ajax on loan from Barcelona on Tuesday as he aims to revive his national-team career with new coach Jürgen Klopp.

Ajax said the 34-year-old Ter Stegen signed a season-long deal that reunites him with the storied club’s new coach Míchel Sánchez.

Ter Stegen had a complicated 12th season with Barcelona and moved to Catalonian neighbor Girona on loan in January.

After three straight World Cups as understudy to Manuel Neuer, including a title in 2014, Ter Stegen was not selected for a fourth this summer. Germany went out in the round of 32 against Paraguay.

Ter Stegen played the last of his 44 games for Germany in June 2025 at the Nations League final four mini-tournament.

“Marc has an outstanding track record, and his qualities are widely recognized,” Ajax technical director Jordi Cruijff said in a statement.

Ter Stegen is the second Germany international joining the Amsterdam club, which is seeking to rebound from a chaotic season that ended in fifth place in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Julian Brandt last week signed a three-year deal as a free agent after his Borussia Dortmund contract expired.

Ajax already started in the qualifying rounds of the third tier Conference League and hosts Shelbourne on Friday in a first-leg game.

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