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Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has had his say on Lionel Messi's possible departure from the club in the upcoming summer transfer window. Along with addressing Messi's future, Ter Stegen also opened up on Barcelona's pursuit of Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi's contract with the club runs down in the summer with talks of an extension currently ongoing if reports from Spanish media are to be believed.
While in conversation with Sport1, Ter Stegen admitted that Messi would be a big loss for Barcelona if he does decide to leave.
“He’s the best player of the last few years for FC Barcelona. He is the maximum. Of course, it would be a loss for FC Barcelona if he left. In the end, only he can decide whether to stay or not,” the Barcelona shot-stopper said.
"Haaland would make any team in the world better" - Ter Stegen on Barcelona's top transfer target
The Barcelona goalkeeper also opened up on the club's pursuit of Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland. The Norwegian forward is on the radar of quite a few European giants, including Barcelona's arch-rival Real Madrid.
Ter Stegen admitted that he has been highly impressed by Haaland, while adding that whichever team manages to sign the 20-year-old will have an 'amazing striker for the next ten years'.
“His style of play and goal will be impressive. When you see videos in which he runs from the very back to the front in a full sprint and cleans the thing with all his might, then that’s amazing. It’s pure will, you can’t train that. Either you have this will or you don’t. Haaland would make any team in the world better.
“But that doesn’t mean that he won’t stay in Dortmund. BVB is a very well-run club in which an excellent job has been done in recent years. Why shouldn’t he stay there for another year? That would by no means be a step backward. If he leaves, his new team would have an amazing striker for the next ten years,” Ter Stegen said.
