"One or two disagreements": VfB Stuttgart star announces split from adviser and reveals conversation with Jürgen Klopp
Dzenan Pejcinovic has surprisingly parted company with his agent after his move to VfB Stuttgart. The Germany Under-21 striker revealed this in an interview with kicker.
"After the transfer to VfB, we had one or two disagreements, which is why we ended the collaboration as a family," Pejcinovic explained. "My father has taken that over and now I'll see how I approach the next steps. Since that became known, the phone has been ringing one or two more times a day as well."
VfB paid Bundesliga-relegated VfL Wolfsburg a €25 million fee in the summer, making the left-footer the second most expensive signing in Stuttgart's history. The 21-year-old has mixed feelings about that figure.
"Before my move, I asked myself whether I should even think about it at all. Because there will always be voices from outside saying: He was too expensive. My focus on the pitch is not affected by that nonetheless - regardless of whether I had cost five or 50 million euros," said Pejcinovic.
Dzenan Pejcinovic is the second most expensive transfer in VfB's club history
The striker knows the pressure that comes with that price tag: "Of course, the fee is not small, especially for VfB: I know that it makes me the second most expensive signing in the club's history. But that doesn't mean I now tell myself that even more has to come from me. I have my own ambition - and that's already enough."
His start in Bad Cannstatt, though, has been subdued. After a dream debut with a hat-trick in the DFB Cup against Rostock, Pejcinovic has not scored again and things have gone wrong since then. "You can say that, to be honest," admitted the Munich-born player. "But there will certainly be several more phases like that in my life, when as a striker you don't score any goals. On the one hand that's difficult, on the other hand it is also important to stay calm and trust in your qualities."
The dip in form has not gone unnoticed by the DFB either. Germany coach Jürgen Klopp left Pejcinovic out of the squad for the four Nations League matches. He said: "I wouldn't say I didn't care. But I was aware that I hadn't had the best start to the Bundesliga season in Stuttgart, and I should have rewarded myself more. Klopp told me: If you want to be involved, you have to perform - and perform even better. So no world collapsed for me because of that - rather, it is a sign that I still have to add something more."
Who did Dzenan Pejcinovic play for in his youth?
As a youngster, Pejcinovic came through the academies at Bayern Munich and Augsburg before moving to Wolfsburg. After an interim loan spell at Fortuna Düsseldorf, he established himself in the top flight last season.
Negotiations with Manchester City and Chelsea earlier in his career show things could have gone differently. "A move abroad would still have come too early back then because I had too little professional experience. The route via Wolfsburg and a loan move to Düsseldorf was the right one for me," said Pejcinovic.
