AS Roma have submitted a second transfer offer for VfB Stuttgart winger Jamie Leweling. Stuttgart had already rejected an initial loan bid from the Italian club worth €5 million with an option to buy, with the new offer said to be around €35 million for a permanent move.
Talks between the clubs and with the player himself are ongoing as the transfer window draws to a close this Tuesday. VfB Stuttgart finds itself in a tough sporting position at this moment. After the first matchday, the club sits in 18th and last place in the Bundesliga table with 0 points, 0 wins, 0 draws, and 1 loss. Their record shows one goal scored, five conceded, and a -4 goal difference.
Discussions between Roma and Stuttgart are proceeding. An initial approach from the Italians, which was a loan deal with a subsequent purchase option, was turned down by Stuttgart. The new offer now proposes a direct and permanent transfer. Parallel talks are also taking place with Jamie Leweling himself to agree on personal terms. VfB Stuttgart may need to reconsider its plans given the sporting situation and upcoming challenges. The next fixture is a home match against 1. FC Köln on September 4th, as visible on our fixtures page.
VfB Stuttgart CEO Alexander Wehrle has indicated that further departures are expected before the deadline. "We will still let one, two or three players leave," Wehrle said. One concrete deal appears to be taking shape: the 19-year-old Lazar Jovanovic is reportedly in negotiations with Udinese. The transfer fee is said to be €6.5 million plus €1.5 million in bonuses. This squad movement occurs against the backdrop of a strained personnel situation. Six players are currently sidelined with injuries, including Dan Zagadou and Dennis Seimen. The full overview is available on our injuries list.
A sale of Jamie Leweling for the reported sum would provide VfB Stuttgart with financial flexibility that could be important during a difficult start to the season. The club is already three points behind league leaders Bayern Munich. The income could be used to stabilize a defense that conceded five goals in one match. Simultaneously, losing an attacking player would further thin a squad already burdened by injuries. The current table on our standings page illustrates the scale of the task. Planning for the match against Köln and the remainder of the first half of the season must account for these personnel changes.
The coming days until the deadline will reveal if the deal with Roma materializes and what other moves follow. For VfB Stuttgart, the challenge is to find the balance between necessary financial consolidation and maintaining sporting competitiveness in the Bundesliga.
