Stuttgart confirm double signing of Dias and Haraguchi
VfB Stuttgart have strengthened their squad with the signings of both Gil Dias and Genki Haraguchi.
Contrary to some reports suggesting that 1. FC Union Berlin attacker Genki Haraguchi would not be headed to Stuttgart, the 31-year-old attacking midfielder is headed to Swabia after all. The relegation-threatened Württemberg side unveiled the 74-times-capped Japanese international as a new VfB player early Monday afternoon.
Portuguese flanker Gil Dias - also linked with a move to the club - was introduced at the same time. Both players arrive on straight transfers and receive new contracts. Haraguchi signs with the Cannstädter through the end of next season. Dias' new deal binds him to the Rhein-Neckar region through 2025.
"Genki Haraguchi brings outstanding footballing qualities and an enormous wealth of experience to our team," VfB sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth remarked in a statement released by the club, "He knows German football and the Bundesliga from his previous tours [with Hertha BSC, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Hannover 96, and Union] and will therefore not need a long start-up period in his new surroundings."
"With Gil Dias, we have signed a player who can be deployed flexibly in the outside positions and with whom we can react to the injury to Tiago Tomas in the short-term," Wohlgemuth added, "but who will also be a valuable addition to our squad in the longer term."
Germany's preeminent footballing publication, Kicker Magazine, reports that Haraguchi's transfer fee amounted to approximately €1 million. Dias - with a similar market value - presumably cost a similar amount. Multiple sources now claim that the pending sale of Naouirou Ahamada to South London's Crystal Palace should net Stuttgart an inlay of around €10-12 million.
Die Tinte ist kaum trocken, da geht es direkt auf den Trainingsplatz mit den Teamkollegen. 👍⚽️
— VfB Stuttgart (@VfB) January 30, 2023
Nochmal herzlich willkommen, @Haragen24 und @GilDias_31!! 🙏⚪️🔴#VfB | #Training pic.twitter.com/S7uJ5XWW1K