A dominant 5-1 win for Barcelona over Villarreal was dampened by an injury concern to their goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, who was taken off on a stretcher after landing awkwardly during the match. Though Barcelona did not lose their momentum in securing a perfect start to La Liga, thanks in part to strikes from Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, the potentially serious injury to their star keeper has left a cloud of uncertainty over the club's upcoming fixtures
Injuries have dealt Barcelona's season another severe blow as Marc-André ter Stegen won't feature this campaign. The club is on the lookout for his replacement and is mulling over a number of high-profile options. A host of names are on the radar for the Spanish club.
Keylor Navas, currently a free agent, has shown an interest in joining Barça. A three-time Champions League winner, the former Real Madrid star would bring experience and quality to the squad. His free agent status makes him an attractive option, while his agent Jorge Mendes has strong connections with Barcelona to smooth negotiations. Despite an unsuccessful transfer to Gremio earlier in the season, Navas is very willing to go back to elite football, with his wage requests reportedly affordable for the Catalan side.
Another option might be that of former Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. Having already won La Liga and the Champions League with Barcelona during his first spell at the Camp Nou, Bravo may be that temporary fix, even at the age of 41. Still fit and available, having recently retired from international duty with Chile, he would be ready to go from the get-go.
Another option explored for Barcelona is former Juventus's wall, Wojciech Szczęsny. With Szczęsny, who continues to be consistent, the Polish international may grant stability. But any way of securing him may require huge outlay because he has now retired.
Other options may include Antonio Adán from Sporting CP. Though less known, Adán has a lot of experience playing in La Liga for Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid and may, therefore, turn out to be a pretty pragmatic choice.
For instance, it looks like (rumoured) Barcelona's long-term plan is sealed with the signing of Álvaro Valles from Las Palmas. Valles has been quite impressive in La Liga this current season and might prove worth signing in January. The 26-year-old has proven to be promising, with good displays such as his reflexes and especially good shot-stopping, which may make him fit to be a decent long-term successor for ter Stegen.
Meanwhile, reserve goalkeeper Iñaki Peña will have to guard the goal. While Peña is rated very highly within the club, he doesn't have as much top-level experience, which is why an experienced keeper at the back is what, first of all, is a priority for Barcelona in the quest to firm up their defense.
Considering the ambitions that Barca have in La Liga and in the Champions League, the goal left by Ter Stegen will be very crucial to fill in. Whether Navas, Bravo, Szczęsny, or Valles take the shot, that way will define the course of their season.