VfB Stuttgart - injuries & suspensions October 2026

VfB Stuttgart: 2026/27 season preview

VfB Stuttgart enter the 2026/2027 season as one of the teams to have undergone the biggest transformations in the Bundesliga in recent years. Not long ago, the club were fighting to avoid relegation; now they are set to play in the Champions League for the second time in four seasons. Sebastian Hoeneß deserves much of the credit. Under his leadership, VfB won the DFB-Pokal in the 2024/2025 season and reached the final of the competition again last season. In the Europa League, Stuttgart were eliminated in the round of 16.

Squad retained with few major departures

The most important news from the summer transfer window is that Stuttgart have kept most of their key players. Deniz Undav, Angelo Stiller, Jamie Leweling, Chris Führich, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Jeff Chabot are among those who have stayed at the club. Hoeneß can therefore continue to develop the team rather than start building from scratch. Undav has also been named captain for the 2026/2027 season, with Mittelstädt, Ermedin Demirović and Grischa Prömel as his deputies.

A significant move was the permanent signing of Bilal El Khannouss. The Moroccan midfielder had previously played for Stuttgart on loan from Leicester City, and after a successful season the club decided to make the deal permanent. In his first season in Germany, he made 41 appearances in all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing seven assists. His presence gives the coach another attacking option and allows him to make better use of players operating between midfield and the striker.

Pejčinović set to increase competition up front

The most intriguing summer signing in attack is Dženan Pejčinović. The 21-year-old striker joined VfB from Wolfsburg and signed a contract until June 2031. He scored 12 goals in 39 competitive appearances for his previous club. Pejčinović gives Hoeneß the option to rotate more in attack and could play alongside Undav or compete with him for a place in the starting line-up.

Hoeneß also has several options on the wings. Leweling and Führich have remained at the club, while 20-year-old Leo Sauer has joined from Feyenoord. The Slovak has signed a deal until 2031 and already has experience in both the Eredivisie and European competitions.

Prömel and greater squad depth

Another important move was the signing of Grischa Prömel from Hoffenheim. The experienced midfielder is expected to strengthen the centre of the pitch and give the team more options for rotation as they compete on several fronts. He is also the team’s new vice-captain. Stuttgart have also welcomed back several players from loan spells, including Leonidas Stergiou and Dennis Seimen.

There has, however, been a change in goal. Alexander Nübel left at the end of his loan spell. Dennis Seimen was expected to take over as the natural successor, but the young goalkeeper suffered a muscle injury before the season and has been ruled out for an extended period. In response, the club also signed Marius Funk from Energie Cottbus. Fabian Bredlow is also part of the squad.

Stuttgart return to the Champions League

After a year away, VfB Stuttgart will play in the Champions League again. A return to Europe’s elite competition will mean significantly more matches for Sebastian Hoeneß’s team. Stuttgart now have a deeper squad than in previous seasons, which should make it easier to rotate between the Bundesliga and the Champions League. Expectations of the team have also risen in recent years. VfB are no longer a side for whom a comfortable mid-table finish is enough. With three competitions to contend with, Hoeneß will need to manage playing time carefully and make use of a larger number of players.