“It was sleepless nights at home”: VfB Stuttgart star settles scores over transfer lie

Ermedin Demirovic was a constant talking point during the recent summer transfer window. After VfB Stuttgart’s win against 1. FC Köln on Friday evening, the Bosnian cleared up a “lie”.

"I set myself the goal of earning respect for my name again. Lately there had already been a lot, a lot of talk," said Demirovic. "It was said I was a candidate for sale. Now I was able to show that I am here. And not a player who cannot find a club."

Reports in the summer claimed Demirovic was up for sale at VfB. The 28-year-old would have been available if the right offer arrived, and coach Sebastian Hoeneß was said to be on board with a transfer.

Yet Hoeneß had already strongly rejected that version of events in July. The 44-year-old said he was "irritated and, to be honest, annoyed by some of what was written". He also made his position on Demirovic clear: "My goal is always to have the best players at VfB and Medo is one of our best players."

Those reports and the speculation around him gave Demirovic "sleepless nights", as he admitted on Friday evening. "A lie was already spread during the training camp that the coach wanted to sell me. We cleared that up quickly."

Demirovic offers insight: "Am I so unwanted?"

Still, he said he began to question himself because the speculation did not stop despite Hoeneß's clarification and his clear commitment to VfB. "At some point you enter a phase in which you ask yourself: 'Do you actually have to look around? Am I so unwanted?'" Demirovic offered an insight into his state of mind only a few weeks ago.

Galatasaray were said to hold strong interest in the powerful striker, but a move was never really on the table. "At the moment there is not much better out there," says Demirovic. "In our talks the coach gave me a feeling of importance. And then I left the coach no other choice and said that I was staying at VfB."

Against Cologne at home, Demirovic replaced Deniz Undav in the 70th minute and struck the decisive 3-0 five minutes later against visitors who looked dangerous in the second half. At the end Stuttgart won 4-1 (1-0), thereby making amends for their 5-1 opening defeat at Bayern Munich.