VfB Stuttgart has confirmed the sale of Lazar Jovanovic to Italy on deadline day and fended off an offer from Everton for Jamie Leweling. At the same time, German legend Lothar Matthäus has criticized the team's performance in their 5-1 opening loss to Bayern Munich, a result that leaves Stuttgart bottom of the table after one match.
Lazar Jovanovic is leaving VfB Stuttgart to join Italian Serie A side Udinese Calcio. The Bundesliga club will receive a transfer fee of around €6.5 million, which could rise by up to €1.5 million in bonuses. The 19-year-old Serbian winger, signed last summer for €5 million from FK Čukarički Belgrade, made only three Bundesliga appearances in his sole season in Stuttgart. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth cited strong competition within the squad and Jovanovic's chance for more playing time in Udine as reasons for the move. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß had previously highlighted the player's enormous quality but also the need for match practice for his development. This means VfB makes a financial profit on the engagement after just one year.
Jamie Leweling will remain at VfB Stuttgart beyond the transfer deadline. The German attacker was the subject of a late bid from English Premier League club Everton. Stuttgart's officials rejected the offer, keeping the 24-year-old in their squad. Leweling is an important part of Sebastian Hoeneß's team and will be needed for the upcoming Bundesliga challenges. Stuttgart has scored one goal and conceded five so far this season, resulting in a goal difference of minus four. His retention bolsters attacking options ahead of the important home match against 1. FC Köln on September 4th.
Lothar Matthäus has criticized VfB Stuttgart's defensive performance in their 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich. The record German international said the team did "a lot wrong" and pointed to several avoidable errors in set-piece situations and tackling. Specifically, the 65-year-old highlighted the tactical approach for Michael Olise's goal to make it 2-1 and a sliding challenge in the build-up to Aleksandar Pavlovic's goal for 4-1. Matthäus stated Bayern "could have won by an even bigger margin." The defeat left Stuttgart with zero points from one game in 18th and last place, three points behind leaders Bayern Munich. The team's detailed performance data is available on our stats page.
Badredine Bouanani could still leave VfB Stuttgart on a temporary deal. According to transfer expert Patrick Berger, FC Schalke 04 has held initial talks with Stuttgart to explore a loan for the 21-year-old attacker. However, a move for the Royal Blues is reportedly "difficult to implement." The Algerian youngster was signed for around €20 million from OGC Nice in the summer of 2025 but has failed to establish himself. In 28 competitive games for VfB, he scored two goals and provided two assists. His contract in Stuttgart runs until 2030. The current squad is listed in our squad overview.
After the heavy defeat in Munich, VfB Stuttgart must regroup quickly. On September 4th, Sebastian Hoeneß's team hosts 1. FC Köln at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. Cologne currently sits in sixth place after the first matchday. For Stuttgart, the home game is an early opportunity to get their first points of the season and improve their negative goal difference of minus four. The team's full schedule for the 2026/27 season can be found on our fixtures page. A win is important to avoid losing touch with the competition in the Bundesliga.
