Sasa Kalajdzic was left out of Stuttgart’s squad for a friendly on Thursday amid interest from Premier League duo Wolves and Everton, as reported by Heimat Sport.
VFB director Sven Mislintat insists that, as things stand, ‘no official offer has been received’ for his two-metre targetman.
That should change sooner rather than later, however, with a host of clubs hoping to bring in a new number nine before the transfer window closes next midweek. According to the Daily Mail, Everton see the 6ft 7ins Kalajdzic as ideal competition for the injury-hit Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Goodison Park.
Wolves, meanwhile, entered talks with the Austria international recently, per Sky Sports. Mislintat even went as far as to name Wolverhampton Wanderers as one of the clubs chasing Kalajdzic.
And the 25-year-old was conspicuous by his absence as Stuttgart beat Swiss outfit St Gallen in a friendly. Kalajdzic is training apart from Pellegrino Matarazzo’s squad alongside left-back Borna Sosa; the Robin to Sasa’s Batman and the provider of so many of the Austrian’s goals over the last couple of seasons.
According to Sport1, Sosa has verbally agreed a move to Serie A outfit Atalanta.
Everton or Wolves for Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic?
With Kalajdzic, one time-honoured cliché comes to mind. He has, as some would say, a ‘good touch for a big man’. Equally adept linking play with his back to goal as he is throwing himself at crosses; the one-time Bayern Munich target looks an ideal addition to an Everton side in desperate need of a presence in the final third. Especially with Salomon Rondon looking every one of his 32 years.
Wolves, meanwhile, have also found goalscoring opportunities hard to fashion in Raul Jimenez’s absence. Daniel Podence, as a false nine, looked the very definition of a square peg in a round hole.
“There is initial interest from England,” says former Arsenal and Dortmund talentspotter Mislintat. “Wolves is one of them.”
Since Stuttgart’s promotion back to the Bundesliga in 2020, Kalajdzic has scored 22 goals in just 39 starts. He could cost around £21 million.
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