Bundesliga News

Reports:
Sporting CP emerge as likely buyers for Mainz's St. Juste, Portuguese club may also recall Stuttgart's Tomas

By Peter Weis   @PeterVicey

Lisbon's Sporting CP has merged as the most likely suitor for FSV Mainz 05 defender Jeremiah St. Juste. 

In a related matter, it has been revealed that the Portuguese club will almost certainly reclaim current VfB Stuttgart attacker Tiago Tomas in the event that his German club gets relegated.
Jeremiah St. Juste.
Jeremiah St. Juste.Photo: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0
The departures of both captain Moussa Niakhaté and Jeremiah St. Juste from Mainz this summer have been treated as likely as soon as the season concludes. It makes more financial sense for the Nullfünfter to cash in on both high-profile defenders this year rather than to extend their expiring contracts.


FSV managing director Christian Heidel once again made clear in an interview with SWR Sport on Monday that there were no active negotiations with either player. Niakhaté could fetch upwards of €20 million while St. Juste's transfer fee could lie in the €10-15 million range.

According to Portuguese sports daily "Record", Mainz and Lisbon-placed club Sporting CP are already in the midst of "intensive negotiations" for St. Juste's transfer. The Dutchman also received offers of interest from Sevilla FC, AS Monaco, Leicester City, West Ham, and several Bundesliga clubs.

Sporting nevertheless appears to offer the 25-year-old the most. Most importantly, St. Juste will have the chance to play in the Champions' League next year. The Portuguese source notes that the two sides "are on a good path" and that an agreement may be near.

In another piece of news directly relevant to Sporting Lisbon and the Bundesliga, new details about the extended loan arrangement of Sporting attacker Tiago Tomas and VfB Stuttgart have leaked out. Information published by Germany's preeminent footballing publication places the chances of Tomas being recalled in the event of a Stuttgart relegation to be nearly 100 percent.

Kicker magazine reports that Sporting retain the right to recall the 19-year-old if Stuttgart drop down to the second division, an acute danger at this time. The Swabians, with a buyback option of €12-13 million, are virtually powerless to prevent it under the financial crunch they will suffer as a result of the relegation.


Tomas' brief tenure in the Bundesliga has been an unequivocal success. The youngster has secured three tallies in 12 appearances for the VfB, often receiving high marks for his performances in the German press. His current loan deal with the German club runs through the end of next season.


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