Stuttgart attacker Jamie Leweling directly addressed transfer rumors linking him with a move to the Premier League last night. The Nürnberg-native, now capped four times for Germany at senior level, was among the VfB Stuttgart players who dazzled in a highly convincing win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga Saturday evening “Top Spiel”.
After snagging a brace, Leweling explicitly stated that he wished to remain in Stuttgart in order to keep working on his personal goals for both club and country. The 24-year-old certainly isn’t alone in sharing such goals. A cadre of fellow Stuttgart colleagues with DFB experience on the squad want the very same thing.
Who are the Stuttgart ‘Magnificent Seven’?
Leweling and six other VfB German internationals made a strong case for their World Cup selection prospects at the BayArena. Leverkusen legend, former German national team head coach, and current DFB managing director Rudi Völler specially spoke on all seven of them.
Völler praised Leweling and the six other DFB internationals who played an excellent game during Sunday’s Sport1 Doppelpass roundtable. Leweling, Deniz Undav, Chris Führich, Alexander Nübel, Angelo Stiller, Josha Vagnoman, and Maximilian Mittelstädt all furnished excellent performances.
There’s also Stuttgart centre-back Jeff Chabot, who probably would have earned a DFB call up this autumn were it not for an ill-timed injury. Stuttgart’s “Magnificent Seven” may soon evolve into an “Excelling Eight”.
Leweling comfortable in his current environs
“There’s the old cliché that goes: ‘I don’t want to leave, I want to stay here,” Leweling told Sky Germany on Saturday evening. “But it’s true in this case. We have things that we wish to accomplish as a team. I’m a part of that. It’s nice to receive offers, but I feel comfortable here.“
Völler praises Leweling and others
“[Stuttgart] were extraordinary,” Völler added on Sport1 Sunday. “I’ve rarely seen a team play like that in Leverkusen in recent years. It was a great performance from Undav and Leweling. That pass from Undav was top-notch and played at exactly the right moment. The fact that Jamie took the ball with him again was exactly the right move.
“I’ll flatly state that not all seven [Stuttgart pros] will make the trip [to the World Cup],” Völler added. “But one or two will be there. We’ll see if they can maintain this form. There’s still a half-a-year to go. Hopefully they can keep it up.“
