Girona signs goalkeeper Blanco to cover for Ter Stegen loss

Alsharq Tribune-M.Essam 

La Liga side Girona has signed goalkeeper Ruben Blanco to cover for the loss of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, after the German suffered a serious hamstring injury just over a week ago.

Blanco, 30, arrives at Girona as a free agent after having left French club Marseille last month, and has agreed a deal until the end of the season.

Ter Stegen arrived on loan from Barcelona after Dominik Livakovic left Girona in January, but was injured against Oviedo in just his second appearance for the club.

The German will need an operation that could potentially end his season and his World Cup hopes, leaving Girona with Paulo Gazzaniga as its only senior goalkeeper, with 19-year-old Aleksandar Andreev on the substitutes' bench in the 1-1 draw away to Sevilla last weekend.

Blanco began his career in Celta Vigo's youth system, making his debut as a 17-year-old and going on to notch 142 appearances for the club before joining Marseille in 2022.