Lazar Jovanovic has left VfB Stuttgart after just one year, completing a permanent transfer to Italian Serie A side Udinese. The 19-year-old winger was officially sold on Tuesday. Yahoo Sports first reported the transaction.
VfB Stuttgart has begun the new season with a loss and sits in 18th place in the Bundesliga with 0 points after one matchday. The team conceded five goals while scoring only one, resulting in a -4 goal difference. In the title race, Stuttgart already trails leaders Bayern München by three points.
Lazar Jovanovic joined Stuttgart from Serbian champions Crvena Zvezda last year. In his only season with the Bundesliga club, he made just six competitive appearances. Fabian Wohlgemuth explained the reasons behind the young winger's departure. "Lazar enjoyed a promising pre-season and showed his qualities in several friendly matches," the sporting director said.
At the same time, competition within the VfB squad is fierce. The move to Udine offers Jovanovic the chance for more playing time than he would likely have had in Stuttgart. "We would like to thank Lazar for our time together and wish him all the best for the future," Wohlgemuth added. The club's current injury list, visible on our injuries page, includes five players such as Dennis Seimen, Leo Sauer, and Chris Führich. Despite these absences, competition for places in Jovanovic's position remained intense.
The Serbian youth international was signed as a talent for the future but never managed to secure a regular spot in the first-team squad. His six brief appearances came in the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal. The direct comparison with the current league standing, highlights the pressure the club is under following the poor start. Every squad position must be optimally filled.
The sale is a classic decision for a young player's career development. Instead of continuing to sit on the bench in Stuttgart, Jovanovic gets the opportunity to prove himself in one of Europe's top leagues in Italy. For VfB, the transaction provides a small financial boost and frees up a squad place.
Sebastian Hoeneß's team will hardly need to compensate for Jovanovic's absence, as he played no significant role in recent match operations. The more urgent task is a sporting turnaround after the poor start. The next match is a home game against 1. FC Köln on September 4th. Köln currently sits in 6th place. This important fixture is the next entry on our fixtures calendar.
The club's officials will likely channel the proceeds from the Jovanovic sale into ongoing squad planning. The focus is now fully on preparing for the Cologne match to secure the first points of the season and climb out of the relegation zone. The full team roster and further statistics can be found on our squad overview.
