Dashing runner-up to Bayer Leverkusen last year in the Bundesliga, Stuttgart was one of the sensations of the 2023-24 season and had the luxury of ahead of Bayern Munich in the final championship standings. Sharp offensively, the VFB also had an iron defense (2nd last year in the league with 1.15 goals conceded per match). But the blue sky has darkened since the start of the season for Sebastian Hoeness's gang who are struggling both in the league (only 10th) and in the Champions League (26th behind PSG and for the moment not qualified for the dams).
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If the latter can still count on Ermedin Demirović, Deniz Undav and Enzo Millot, Stuttgart lost big defensively. And that's where the problem lies. The club's defensive pillars have left the club (Waldemar Anton was transferred to Dortmund for €22.5 million while Hiroki Ito signed for Bayern for €30 million) while those who stayed or were recruited are far away to give their full measure. Dan Axel Zagadou has been injured for a long time and no one knows if he will be able to return to his best level while Ameen Al-Dakhil, who arrived last summer from Burnley, has not managed to establish himself.
Wooh and Kinkoué please VFB Stuttgart
The management of the German club, which sees its defense being persecuted every week both in the Bundesliga (1.65 goals conceded per match) and in the Champions League (2 goals conceded per match), must therefore recruit a capable defender to integrate quickly and who could represent the future of the club. According to our information, the VFB could find its happiness in Ligue 1 since Stuttgart has set its sights on the Cameroonian international defender from Stade Rennais Christopher Wooh and on the promise of Le Havre, Étienne Kinkoué. Namely two 22-year-old defenders with plenty of room for improvement and who have almost the same market value, namely between €8 and €10 million.
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Concerning the first, he lost his starting place and is no longer really in the odor of sanctity in Brittany since the arrival of Jorge Sampaoli at the head of the pro team. The Cameroonian international rock (16 caps – 2 goals), who was recruited for €9 million by Rennes in Lens at the very end of the 2022 summer transfer window, is pushed towards the exit by Massara who wants to bring experience to a defense which sorely lacking. As for the international hopeful tricolor, who had mentioned in our columns a possible departure this winter a few weeks ago, he had difficulty putting his head back in place after a real-false start at Hoffenheim in the summer last. Still, the need for new money necessary for the survival of the HAC combined with the player's desire to leave for an ambitious club could be right for his future in Normandy. Between Dan Axel Zagadou, Enzo Millot, Anthony Rouault and Fabien Rieder, Stuttgart has proven its ability to make the veterans of the French Championship shine. Enough to provide solid arguments if ever the VFB, which will have no trouble getting out the checkbook, decides to move up a gear with these two talents “made in Ligue 1”…
Pub. the 30/12/2024 17:05
– UPDATE 30/12/2024 17:45
