Sasa Kalajdzic is set to stay at Stuttgart despite reported interest from Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and West Ham United, sporting director Sven Mislintat has told Transfermarkt.
With just a few weeks remaining before the new Bundesliga season kicks off, a youthful Stuttgart side that took the division by storm under highly rated coach Pellegrino Matarazzo have largely succeeded in keeping an exciting young squad together.
Yes, Nicolas Gonzalez and Gregor Kobel have said their goodbyes – heading to Fiorentina and Borussia Dortmund respectively for a combined £35 million – but, as it stands Silas Katompa Mvumpa (the forward formerly known as Silas Wamangituka) and the Beckham-esque Borna Sosa will still be plying their trade at the Mercedes Benz Arena in 2021/22.
Talismanic top scorer Kalajdzic now looks certain to stay too, despite being heavily linked with a £15 million move to Tottenham, Everton and West Ham.
Newcastle United were keen as well. However, according to The Athletic the 6ft 7in target man appears to be too rich for Mike Ashley’s blood, with a lack of serious offers making Stuttgart’s summer that little bit easier.
Everton and Tottenham to miss out on Kalajdzic
“There is a very, very high chance Sasa will be our number nine next year,” says Mislintat, the former Dortmund and Arsenal talent-spotter now earning admiring glances for his work at a Stuttgart side on the up.
“We didn’t even get a single (offer).”
Mislintat’s words will be music to the ears of Stuttgart supporters.
Kalajdzic exploded on the scene with 16 goals during his breakthrough Bundesliga season, scoring in seven successive games after Christmas to equal a record set by the legendary Fredi Bobic almost 30 years ago.
In fact, only five players found the net more regularly than Kalajdzic, including Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland and new RB Leipzig striker Andre Silva.
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