VfB Stuttgart: Hiroki Ito has an exit clause – as expensive as Gómez?

Market value winner

VfB Stuttgart is having its best Bundesliga season since 2003/04. The Swabians collected 27 points from twelve games. The strong start in the last market value update was rewarded with nine upgrades, including an increase from 7 million to 17 million euros for Hiroki Ito. The defender extended his contract until 2027 in the summer and, in addition to a salary increase, apparently also had an exit clause included, as “Sky“ reported.

Accordingly, this amounts to around 30 million euros – a sum for which Mario Gómez left VfB for FC Bayern Munich in 2009/10 and is therefore still the second most expensive departure in the club’s history. Selling the 24-year-old would also generate a hefty transfer increase for Stuttgart, after Ito was initially loaned from Júbilo Iwata’s native Japan for 100,000 euros in 2021, before he was signed permanently for 400,000 euros a year later.

The third-place team in the table apparently doesn’t have to fear Ito saying goodbye in the winter; according to reports, the left-footer, who was courted by Ajax Amsterdam in the last transfer window, wants to stay in Stuttgart at least until the summer. In addition, there is currently no concrete interest from another club.

The 2023 football year is now over for Ito. As the club reported on Monday, the regular defender suffered a muscle injury and will therefore no longer be available until the winter break. The long-running favorite had previously not missed a competitive game this season and was in the starting line-up in 13 of 14 games.

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