Eleven contracts expire at VfL Bochum, negotiations with key players can be difficult. See the example of Kevin Stöger.

The contracts of Kevin Stöger, Michael Esser, Ivan Ordets (loan), Keven Schlotterbeck (loan), Danilo Soares, Moritz Römling, Anthony Losilla, Philipp Förster, Christopher Antwi-Adjei, Takuma Asano and Gonçalo Paciência (loan) all expire at Bundesliga club VfL Bochum at the end of the season.

It will be a tough summer of transfers. The most important personnel matters are certainly the permanent signing of defender Keven Schlotterbeck, where VfL will stretch themselves to the limit to get a transfer done.

The signing of Kevin Stöger is also a high priority. Both personnel matters will be difficult. With Stöger in particular, it could be that he wants to get something out of what is probably his last big contract.

Which is understandable, as the 30-year-old is playing a great season and can even dream of a European Championship ticket with Austria in the summer. This makes him a coveted free transfer target on the transfer market.

As the online portal “Tief im Westen” reports, Stöger already had a lucrative offer from Union Berlin last winter, but VfL did not want to let him go.

The midfielder emphasized to RS in December 2023: “It would be madness if I could be at a European Championship. But my focus is on Bochum first, that’s my priority. I want to perform well here and achieve the goal I’ve set myself. Namely to stay in the Bundesliga with VfL. We’ll see what comes after that.”

He was even clearer with the “Kronen-Zeitung”. “I spoke to VfL first. But I have also clearly communicated that I am listening to other things.”

Whereby Stöger, who became a father on October 14, told “Tief im Westen” that he is approaching this without an advisor. “I know what I want, so I conduct the talks alone. Nevertheless, I am of course in contact with people who can give me advice.”

From Bochum’s point of view, it remains to be hoped that he also listens to people who have a blue and white heart, because if clubs like Union Berlin are bidding, then it is clear that VfL will hardly be able to keep up with the sums being offered there.

According to RS-Infos, Stöger told friends that it will be very difficult for VfL to keep him. Stöger also does not rule out a move abroad. cb / gp