Brighton and Hove Albion striker Deniz Undav could end up costing VfB Stuttgart €20m in the summer, thanks to an increasing clause in his loan deal.
That’s according to SportBILD, who say the striker could be ‘much more expensive than expected’ for the German side.
Undav is currently on loan with the Bundesliga side after joining them in the summer following something of a miserable year at Brighton.
He’s been a massive success, with 14 goals and five assists in 18 games in the Bundesliga this season despite only featuring in 64% of the available minutes.
Stuttgart are keen to make the move a permanent one and have an option to do so anchored into the loan deal but that could be more expensive than they anticipated.
According to SportBILD, the value of that clause for the attacker increases depending on ‘personal performance parameters. Thus, the rumoured €12m fee can actually rise to €20m and Undav’s performances are pushing it towards that figure.
That would be a record fee for Stuttgart, whose biggest ever signing remains Nicolás González, who was signed for €11m in 2018/19.
They’ve spent the last few years being more frugal with their money and so director of football Fabian Wohlgemuth is in talks with Brighton to discuss ‘various models and graduations’ for an Undav transfer.
Talks between the two parties are ongoing and also took place in January, when the two clubs also did a loan deal for Mahmoud Dahoud. As part of that deal, they also discussed the situation around Undav.
What is clear is that Stuttgart want the player permanently, it’s just a matter of resolving how they can pay for him.
