Ter Stegen set for Barcelona after rejecting Gladbach offer

Borussia Monchengladbach have announced that goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will leave the club after rejecting a new contract.

The 21-year-old has been widely linked with a move away from the Bundesliga outfit, with Barcelona's vice-president Josep Bartomeu admitting their interest in the shot-stopper in November as they seek a replacement for the outgoing Victor Valdes.

Ter Stegen has a contract at Borussia Park until 2015, but the club have announced that attempts to tie him down by agreeing a new deal have been rejected.

Sporting director Max Eberl said: "Ter Stegen will leave Borussia. Marc has informed us that will not accept our offer of a new contract.

"Marc's decision not to renew does not surprise us. I assume he'll join the club he has been linked to."

Ter Stegen has kept six clean sheets for Gladbach this season, helping them climb to third in the Bundesliga.

And he insists he is still committed to the club despite rejecting the new deal.

"I do not want to comment on the state of play. And I do not want to talk about the 'Why" and the reasons I had in public," he told reports after training on Monday.

"I thought about this for a long time. I always said I would decide during the winter break and that is what I did. I will continue to play full throttle for this club."

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Neuer: Ter Stegen is a sensational goalkeeper

Germany international Manuel Neuer believes Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has a bright future ahead of him amid ongoing rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona.

The Blaugrana have earmarked the 21-year-old as a potential replacement for current first choice goalkeeper Victor Valdes, whose contract expires at the end of the season and will not be coaxed into signing a new deal.

And Neuer feels the Gladbach star has the potential to become one of the best in his position.

"There is no doubt about it that Ter Stegen is a great goalkeeper. He is a player with a big future ahead of him," Neuer was quoted as saying by AS when questioned about his compatriot.

"He is sensational. He is very agile and always knows how to deal with complicated situations. He is a superb shot-stopper.

"I don't know whether he's ready to play for a team like Barcelona yet. That's a decision their technical staff will have to make."

Ter Stegen's contract with Monchengladbach runs until the summer of 2015.

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