Dennis Seimen, Stuttgart’s new number one, is out until the end of September. Do the Swabians hope to replace Fabian Bradlow or will a new goalkeeper arrive?
Injury at the wrong time: Dennis Simen is out for a long time with a hamstring muscle injury and will not be available for Stuttgart in the first round of the upcoming season.
The 20-year-old will not be able to stand between the posts until at least the international break. He is likely to miss the first four games of the Bundesliga, the first round of the German Cup and the start of the Champions League.
VfB leaves the question of a new goalkeeper open
This is a major setback for Sejmen, who secured promotion to the top spot during his loan spell at Paderborn thanks to excellent performances. For Bradlow, who represented former VfB goalkeeper Alexander Nübel for many years, this could be a chance to prove his skills.
The question is whether VfB management will trust the 31-year-old to play a temporary role as a regular goalkeeper. Fabian Wolgemuth on Wednesday left open the question of whether the Swabians will react to Sejmen’s injury. “As we know, our personnel planning for the goalkeeper position for the coming season is largely complete. Even without Dennis, we have a lot of quality goalkeeping squads, but we will have to discuss in the coming days whether we will be active in the transfer market again,” the sporting director was quoted as saying.
Is Dianth Ramage possible?
Bradlow’s experience and dedication speak for him. However, the goalkeeper has only played eleven official matches for VfB over the past three years and needs to find his rhythm straight away. In addition, big tests await Hansa Rostock in the first four matches of the season in the German Cup, as well as Bayern, Cologne, TSG Hoffenheim and Borussia Dortmund. And there will certainly be a strong contender in the premier class. The course for the season is determined in advance.
So it is possible that VfB are still keeping an eye on the transfer market. Signing a custodian without a contract would make the same sense as a loan without an option to purchase. In the latter case, Dianth Ramaj could be a candidate. The 24-year-old footballer is a native of Stuttgart and has a contract with BVB. Ramai was on loan at Heidenheim last season between the posts. Since Gregor Kobel will not be able to overtake Gregor Kobel in Dortmund, a loan to VfB will certainly be attractive, at least for the player – the chance to play even in the premier class.
Ortega, Vasil or World Cup star?
Among goalkeepers without a contract, the names Stefan Ortega and Nicola Vasil stand out. In the summer, Ortega closed the Premier League chapter, returned to Germany after four successful years at Manchester City and half a season at Nottingham Forest and moved with his family to a house in Hamburg.
Vasil, who has kept goal for St. Pauli for the past five years and stood between the posts for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 World Cup, also lived in the Hanseatic city. Like Ortega, the 30-year-old will likely be aiming for more than just a temporary number one role at his new club. According to the Bild newspaper, Vasily may soon move to Saudi Arabia. In any case, a commitment would only seem possible if the VfB suddenly announced an open competition for the regular goalkeeper role – unlikely.
A question of options
The goalkeeper who has been in the spotlight at the World Cup and who is also available for free is Orjan Nyland. The Norwegian performed outstandingly throughout the tournament but then made a crucial error in the quarter-final against England, allowing Jude Bellingham to score the winner in extra time. However, after the tournament, the 35-year-old football player is likely to be on the list of some, including large, clubs.
There are still two goalkeepers under contract in Germany who are interesting from a sporting point of view. Wolfsburg’s Kamil Grabara is a clear candidate to be sold after relegation. But with Wolves likely asking for a double-digit million fee, a transfer to Neckar is almost impossible. What about Michael Zetterer? The 31-year-old will battle with the talented Kahua Santos for a starting spot at Eintracht Frankfurt. According to reports, the race should be open until the end of preparations. If Zetterer loses, there could still be an opportunity here in the short term. Either way, Zetterer has proven his suitability for the Bundesliga over the years. Perhaps a number two role at a Champions League club would be more attractive than at a Hessian club.
According to Sky, VfB are not planning any new players in the goalkeeper position – at least not yet. For Wohlgemuth and company, it will ultimately depend on whether an economically viable and sportingly sensible option opens up for VfB. The Swabians probably won’t spend much money to sign the number one for just a few weeks. This could ultimately be good news for Fabian Bradlow.
