Chelsea, Tottenham, and West Ham United have suffered a massive blow in their pursuit of Barcelona shot-stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen could be on the move in the upcoming transfer window as he is no longer an important part of Hansi Flick’s plans at Barcelona. According to Dean Jones via TEAMtalk, Tottenham, Chelsea and West Ham United are all keen on his signature, but his massive wages could prove to be a major obstacle for them.

Ter Stegen, who came up the ranks at Borussia Monchengladbach and made a name for himself while playing for their first team, joined the Catalan giants back in 2014 in a deal worth €12 million. He has been their preferred choice in goal for well over a decade.

However, the German international hasn’t been at his best in recent seasons; as a result, Barcelona decided to sign Joan Garcia last summer. With Garcia set to be their new number one, they were ready to sell Ter Stegen. But he decided to stay put and underwent an operation he had been avoiding for some time.

While he is back fit, the German shot-stopper has already lost his place in the team. He has only made one appearance this term, and things are unlikely to improve for him going forward. While his contract runs until the summer of 2028, Ter Stegen is surplus to requirements, and he has been linked with a move away. Barcelona are ready to cash in on him.

Dean Jones on Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s future

While talking about the 33-year-old’s future, Jones said, “It’s not going to be straight forward, as his high wages are going to prove to be an obstacle as well as his desire to move. He returned to the Barcelona side this week for his first game in a long time, yet there is no longer-term plan for him at the club.

“As one of the highest-paid players in the squad, it’s not ideal to just have him on the bench, but there does not seem to be much intent from him to move. I’m told Barca have been hoping that an English side might show interest – even on loan – to cover some of the financial hit.

“Indeed, the Premier League has the most spending power, so it’s seen as one of the most likely destinations he could consider. But at the moment there are no concrete signs of a move. Barcelona attempted to offload Ter Stegen during the summer and brought in Joan Garcia, and the hope has been that he shows a renewed willingness to move in order to secure regular playing time ahead of the World Cup.

“In England, the likes of Tottenham, Chelsea and West Ham are viewed as potential destinations that could be targeted. Indeed, that follows up on information also gathered by my colleague Fraser Fletcher surrounding Ter Stegen’s future. However, at present, I’m told there is no active interest in the 33-year-old Germany international.”

Premier League clubs might struggle to sign ter Stegen

Chelsea, Tottenham and West Ham are all interested in signing him in the upcoming transfer window. The Blues are not confident about Filip Jorgensen or Robert Sanchez being their number one going forward; as a result, they are willing to bring in the Barcelona goalkeeper as a short-term fix.

Even Spurs are looking for someone who can rival Guglielmo Vicario for a place in the starting XI. Not only will it increase competition in the goal, but the 33-year-old could also help in Vicario’s development. While the Hammers did sign Mads Hermansen in the summer, he hasn’t been convincing enough so far, and they want more quality in goal.

While all three clubs are ready to hand him a prominent role, they still have a major obstacle in their way. He is one of the highest-paid players at Barcelona, and his wages won’t make a potential move that easy. On top of that, Ter Stegen has shown little desire to leave the Spanish giants.