Barcelona have received LaLiga’s green light to register goalkeeper Joan García after Marc-André ter Stegen’s long-term injury created about €5 million in salary cap space.
The approval came late last night following an examination of Ter Stegen by the LaLiga Medical Commission at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. With this clearance, Barça can officially add García to their squad today, making the 24-year-old available for Saturday’s LaLiga opener against Mallorca.
This move is based on LaLiga’s “Club and SAD Budget Preparation Rules,” updated June 19, 2025, which allow teams to use 80% of an injured player’s wages to sign a replacement if the absence exceeds five months.
While Ter Stegen publicly announced he would be out for three months, Barça pushed for a four-month timeline to meet the long-term threshold. The medical panel’s assessment, however, concluded the injury is still under five months, meaning the club can only access 50% of his wages—around €5 million by Barça’s calculations.
This financial move has proven vital for Barcelona, who had struggled to register García earlier due to salary cap limitations.
Under the rules, injuries lasting less than five months but at least four grant clubs only 50% salary relief instead of the full 80%, cutting the expected budget considerably.
Even so, the €5 million freed up is sufficient to bring García into the squad—a key step for Barça as they look to preserve defensive solidity in Ter Stegen’s absence.