Jamie Leweling and Bilal El Khannouss decided to stay at VfB Stuttgart on transfer deadline day, rejecting lucrative moves away from the club. The 25-year-old Leweling turned down a switch to AS Roma despite a private jet being booked, while the 22-year-old El Khannouss refused a 40-million-euro offer from Al Ittihad. These decisions mean head coach Sebastian Hoeneß did not lose any of his starters on the final day of the summer window, as he confirmed. VfB Stuttgart currently sit 18th in the Bundesliga with 0 points from one match, having conceded five goals already this season.
Jamie Leweling had a concrete opportunity to continue his career in Serie A. AS Roma tabled an offer of around 35 million euros, which VfB Stuttgart was willing to accept. The club had even organized a private jet for the forward's flight to Rome on Tuesday afternoon. Leweling decided against the move regardless, despite the potential for a higher salary in Italy. Simultaneously, Bilal El Khannouss faced a financially tempting prospect in Saudi Arabia. The midfielder could have earned at least double his current VfB salary at Al Ittihad, as Bild Sport first reported. El Khannouss summed up his determination to stay in Stuttgart, telling the outlet: "Ich bleibe, alles entschieden!" ("I'm staying, everything's decided!").
While the departures of the two key players were prevented, VfB Stuttgart was still active on the final day of the transfer window. The club signed 21-year-old Dzenan Pejcinovic from VfL Wolfsburg for a fee of 25 million euros. Also new to the squad is 20-year-old Leo Sauer, who joined from Rotterdam for 12.5 million euros. In return, 21-year-old centre-back Chema left the club, moving to English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of 25 million euros. These transfers point to a targeted rejuvenation of the squad under the sporting direction of 44-year-old head coach Sebastian Hoeneß.
The decisions by Leweling and El Khannouss come during a difficult early season phase. After the first matchday, VfB Stuttgart occupies the bottom spot in the table. The team conceded five goals and scored only one, resulting in a negative goal difference of -4. In the standings, the Swabians are already three points behind leaders Bayern Munich. The next opportunity to collect points comes on Thursday, September 4, 2026, in a home match against 1. FC Köln. Cologne started with a win and sit in sixth place. Fans can follow the rest of the season on our standings page.
With Leweling and El Khannouss staying, VfB Stuttgart's offensive core remains intact. Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß can now rely on an established lineup for the important upcoming matches. Stability in the starting eleven could be key to correcting the negative goal difference and collecting the first points of the season. The new signings Pejcinovic and Sauer provide additional options from the bench. All upcoming fixtures, including the clash with Köln, can be found on our fixtures overview. The home game on September 4th is the immediate chance to break the negative trend.
