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Barcelona director Deco has stated that the club are not working towards signing Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa. The Catalan giants suffered a major blow during their 5-1 win against Villarreal in September as Marc-Andre ter Stegen suffered a nasty injury and had to be stretchered off.
A day later, the club confirmed that the German shot-stopper had ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee and needed to undergo immediate surgery. Barcelona have since signed Wojciech Szczęsny on a one-year contract as a stop-gap solution for the goalkeeper crisis mid-season.
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Portuguese shot-stopper Diogo Costa has been heavily linked with the Catalan club as a permanent replacement for Ter Stegen. In a new report by acclaimed football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Deco stressed that Barca are happy with Ter Stegen and not interested in signing a new goalkeeper. He said (via @FabrizioRomano on X):
“No, our priority is Ter Stegen who’s gonna be under contract for the next 3 years. We won’t sign anyone to replace Ter Stegen. If I was Diogo Costa, I’m not sure I’d join Barça to be a backup. We are NOT working to sign him.”
Marc-Andre ter Stegen joined Barcelona from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2014 for a reported transfer fee of €12 million (via Transfermarkt). He has played 420 games across competitions for the Catalan giants, winning five LaLigas, one UEFA Champions League, and one FIFA Club World Cup among others. His contract with the club expires in the summer of 2028.
Diogo Costa's contract with Porto lasts til 2027 and the release clause is reported to be €75 million. Therefore, Porto will likely demand a fortune to let their first-team goalkeeper go.
Lionel Messi wants Barcelona to sign Emiliano Martinez as Marc-Andre ter Stegen's replacement: Reports
Barcelona legend Lionel Messi reportedly wants the Catalan side to sign Argentine superstar Emiliano Martinez as a replacement for Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Emiliano Martinez currently plays for Aston Villa and has become one of the most sought-after goalkeepers in Europe.
The Argentine went from Arsenal to Aston Villa in September 2020 for a reported transfer fee of €17.40 million (via Transfermarkt). However, the shot-stopper's value skyrocketed after he starred in Argentina's 2021 Copa America triumph, especially during penalty shootouts.
Martinez followed it up in the 2022 FIFA World Cup as he helped La Albiceleste win the World Cup after 36 years. His outstretched leg saving Randall Kolo Muani's shot in the extra time of the World Cup final was one of the most iconic moments of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Martinez also won the 2024 Copa America in July this year.
According to reports by El Nacional, Lionel Messi is keen on his former club signing Emiliano Martinez. The report further states that Barcelona's sporting director Deco has reacted positively to Messi's choice and he sees Martinez's arrival as a potential boost for the club.
Emiliano Martinez was also instrumental in Aston Villa qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1983 this season.
