Bundesliga soccer team VfB Stuttgart almost had to give up one of its top performers this winter. A club from Saudi Arabia apparently pulled the contractually agreed exit clause. But ultimately there was no change – because the player canceled.
The Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, for which Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo plays, among others, has exercised the purchase option in the contract of Stuttgart defender Hiroki Ito in the now closed winter transfer window. This is what “Bild” reports.
Accordingly, the Ronaldo club was prepared to pay the fixed transfer fee of 30 million euros. A lot of money for the Swabians on the one hand, which would certainly have created new scope for several reinforcements. On the other hand, VfB Stuttgart would have lost one of its top performers – in the middle of the season.
It’s good for VfB that, according to “Bild”, Ito rejected a move to Saudi Arabia.
Mega salary is not convincing: Ito wanted to stay at VfB Stuttgart
According to the report, the 24-year-old could have earned almost four times his salary at Al Nassr: instead of an estimated 2.5 million euros per year, around nine million euros were said to have been offered. Ito, however, preferred to stay in Stuttgart.
He feels “still too young” for an insignificant league like the one in Saudi Arabia, even though the clubs from the desert had upgraded their squads with numerous stars, especially last summer. Ito’s focus for the time being is on a career in Europe.
Hiroki Ito moved to the country from Japanese club Júbilo Iwata in the summer of 2021 – for just 400,000 euros. The 15-time national player subsequently fought for a regular place at the Bundesliga club, and last summer his working paper was extended until 2027. The exit clause was also specified.