Kicker Report: Freiburg done with transfers after Keitel's decision to remain until summer
German footballing journalist Carsten Schröter-Lorenz of Kicker Magazine reports that, following a decision from midfielder Yannik Keitel to remain with the club until the end of the season, SC Freiburg are in for a quiet transfer deadline day.
SC Freiburg appear prepared to stand pat on this final day of the January 2024 transfer window. Freiburg correspondent Carsten Schröter-Lorenz reports that die Breisgauer remain content with winter signings defender Attila Szalai and midfielder Florent Muslija. Activity in the SCF front-office now essentially ceases after a decision from homegrown midfield talent Yannik Keitel has decided against moving to VfB Stuttgart this winter.
Multiple sources claim that Keitel will be headed to Swabia on a free transfer once his current contract with Freiburg expires at the end-of-the-season. Schröter-Lorenz reports that Stuttgart were interested in obtaining the 23-year-old now and even tendered an €800,000 offer for an immediate transfer. Both Keitel and his current club are said to have vetoed this idea.
Stuttgart themselves have already secured additional midfield assistance for the second half of the season in the form of former Dortmund and German national team midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud. The 28-year-old's loan arrangement with the Württembergers was confirmed earlier today. The VfB must now turn the bulk of their finest administrative resources towards finding a replacement for injured central defender Dan-Axel Zagadou.