Barca's Ter Stegen faces three months out after back surgery

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is set to undergo back surgery to address a long-standing issue and is expected to be sidelined for around three months, the Germany international confirmed on Thursday.

The Spanish champions recently signed Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García, who is now expected to become the club's first-choice keeper, with Wojciech Szczęsny serving as back-up.

"Today is a personally difficult day for me. Physically and athletically, I feel in very good condition, although unfortunately I'm still not free from pain," Ter Stegen wrote on Instagram.

"After in-depth discussions with FC Barcelona's medical team and external specialists, the quickest and safest way for me to fully recover is through back surgery.

"Following my previous back operation, I returned to the pitch after 66 days—just under two months... This time, the doctors believe a recovery period of around three months is necessary, as a precaution, to avoid any risk."

According to Spanish media reports, Barcelona were considering selling Ter Stegen, now 33, who joined the club in 2014, in order to create financial space to register new signings García and Marcus Rashford.

Last summer, the long-term injury of defender Andreas Christensen allowed Barcelona to exploit a La Liga registration loophole to temporarily register playmaker Dani Olmo after his arrival from RB Leipzig.

"Emotionally, it's extremely painful not to be able to support the team during this time," Ter Stegen continued.

"Thankfully, the rehabilitation process is manageable and the road to recovery is clearly mapped out. Don't worry — I'll be back."