VfB Stuttgart pays 32.03 million euros to consultants - a record sum for the club. Never before has VfB Stuttgart spent more on consultants than recently. What's behind the costs, how the sum is composed, and how the industry works. The past year was a year of records for VfB Stuttgart. Record sales, record membership, record transfer revenue. It's only logical that a record was also broken in terms of consultant fees paid. According to the official DFL figures, the club paid a whopping 32.03 million euros to consultants. Never before has it been more. In the previous period, the Stuttgarters were still at 19.15 million euros. This puts VfB Stuttgart in the trend. Among the 18 clubs that will play in the Bundesliga in 2026/27, spending increased from 249.72 to 269.56 million euros. The Stuttgarters rank fourth in the table with this sum, just like they did last time. Only BVB, Leipzig, and Bayern paid more to consultants. The fact that the Stuttgarters spent this record sum can be explained: The transfers of Nick Woltemade to Newcastle and Enzo Millot to Al-Ahli SC not only brought record sums into the Stuttgarters' coffers but also cost a lot of consultant fees. Between five and 15 percent commission for consultants is customary in such deals. If one assumes that VfB Stuttgart is in the middle, they paid around eight million euros to Nick Woltemade's consultant, and around three million euros to Millot's consultant. This explains the increase of 12.87 million euros in paid fees almost completely. Whoever sells well has to pay more, according to the simplified calculation. If you subtract this sum, VfB Stuttgart is by no means fourth in the Bundesliga comparison, but rather in the middle of the table. It's interesting to see how the industry works in these cases. Because consultants not only have their hands on the selling club but also on the buying club. According to the motto: If you want my player to come to you, it will cost you a sum X. A procedure that, by the way, explains the increasingly frequent changes of players during a career. The player's consultant is often the driver, as he benefits from it. Since this procedure is now the industry standard, it's no wonder that the consulting industry has developed a completely new business model - mediation. A clarifying example: If a club wants to make a transfer with another club, they not only have to consider the player's consultant and pay them. Because the consultant has already concluded a so-called brokerage contract with their client, which clearly regulates how the consultant is to be paid in the event of a transfer. But often also another consultant who works exclusively for a club, coach, or entire market. And who says: Your player can only go there or there if I get involved. And also participate. So, there are now a whole range of consultants who no longer represent players. But only mediate between interested parties. Other consultants work directly with the clubs to find and mediate the best players. This system has developed over the years and is now an important part of the football business. VfB Stuttgart has to navigate this system to be successful. The Stuttgarters have to carefully plan their consultant fees to achieve their goals. The future of VfB Stuttgart also depends on the ability to find and mediate the right players. The consulting industry will continue to be an important part of the football business in the future. And the Stuttgarters will have to adapt to this development. The club's management will have to make the right decisions to ensure the club's success. This includes finding the right balance between spending on consultants and investing in the team. The Stuttgarters will have to be clever and strategic in their dealings with consultants. Only then can they achieve their goals and become one of the top clubs in the Bundesliga.