According to Pete O’Rourke via Football Insider, Manchester United are keen on signing Angelo Stiller, but they have suffered a minor setback, as VfB Stuttgart have bought out his release clause. Now, the German club will certainly have the upper hand in any negotiations this summer.
While things didn’t work out for Stiller at Bayern Munich, he revived his career at Hoffenheim before joining Stuttgart in the summer of 2023. He has gone on to make quite a name for himself with his consistent performances.
The 25-year-old defensive midfielder has racked up 2,229 minutes in the Bundesliga. He has bagged five assists and created 1.94 chances per 90. More importantly, he has won 57% of duels, has 5.46 recoveries per 90 and a successful pass percentage of 88.2.
Thanks to his consistent performances, a host of top clubs are after his signature, and Manchester United are one of them. With Casemiro leaving after the end of the season, the Red Devils are desperately looking for a new defensive midfielder, and they consider an ideal fit for their project.
While his contract at Stuttgart runs until 2028, they looked destined to lose him this summer because of a release clause worth £35 million (around €40m). However, the German club were quick to act, and they have managed to buy out the clause. They have paid the player a fee to remove it, which gives them greater control over his future.
Stuttgart remain open to negotiating his departure, but now they can wait until after the World Cup. With him set to feature for Germany, they could look to capitalise and demand a massive fee for the 25-year-old based on his performances in North America.
While speaking about Stiller’s situation at Stuttgart, O’Rourke said, “Stuttgart have been quite smart. They’ve taken out a release clause in his contract, which was around 40 million euros.
“They’ve opted to pay the player a fee to take that release clause out, so it means if Stiller goes away and has a good World Cup with Germany, it’s going to increase his price tag.”
Stiller has been a top target for the Red Devils, who want to revamp their midfield this summer. Since they want to bring in two world-class midfielders, Stiller’s price going up won’t help their cause. They were looking to trigger his release clause and add him to their ranks before the World Cup. But now, United will have to try and negotiate a favourable deal with the German outfit.
