Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen offered 'blank cheque' by Premier League club to seal transfer: Reports
Newcastle United have promised to offer Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen a blank cheque if he agrees to move to Tyneside, as per El Nacional.
The Magpies have big ambitions under their uber-rich Saudi Arabia-based owners. The arrival of Alexander Isak this summer for a fee of £63 million was a sign of that.
They have apparently set their sights on Ter Stegen, who is seen as potentially expendable by Barcelona president Joan Laporta. The Germany international is valued by manager Xavi Hernandez, who sees him as untouchable in his starting XI.
He has played every single minute of Barcelona's 17 games across competitions this campaign. Laporta, however, doesn't seem to rate him as highly as Xavi and is open to letting him leave for a fair amount.
The Toons have reportedly set aside €50 million to sign the shot-stopper, whose contract expires in the summer of 2025. The offer could entice Barca after an expensive summer transfer window and elimination from the UEFA Champions League group stages.
It remains to be seen if this amount will please Barca. Ter Stegen, on the other hand, will be handed a blank cheque by Newcastle with permission to make himself one of the best-paid players in England.
This could impact Nick Pope's place in manager Eddie Howe's first-team set-up. The Toons signed the England international from Burnley this summer for £10.35 million and have handed him 13 starts in all competitions this campaign.
Barcelona, meanwhile, will inevitably be forced into looking for a replacement if the former Borussia Monchengladbach shot-stopper leaves. Athletic Bilbao's Unai Simon and Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga have been touted as potential options.
However, Xavi isn't convinced by either player's ability to start for the La Liga giants week in, week out.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen sets clean sheet record with Barcelona
Ter Stegen is well on his way to win his first Zamora award this season. https://t.co/N9LSpNa5PV
As per SPORT, Marc-Andre ter Stegen has become the first goalkeeper in history to keep 10 clean sheets in the first 12 games of a La Liga campaign.
The German set this record for Barca in the team's late 1-0 La Liga win against Valencia on Saturday (29 October). Robert Lewandowski scored the winner in the third minute of stoppage time to hand the Catalan giants an important win at Mestalla.
Only Real Sociedad and Real Madrid have been able to score past him this season. Isak scored for Sociedad in his team's 4-1 loss on 22 August.
Los Blancos, meanwhile, put three past him in the 3-1 El Clasico defeat on 16 October.