Bundesliga team eyes £10m Southampton man who has lost his starting spot

Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart are planning a summer swoop for Southampton prodigy midfielder Caspar Jander.

Southampton’s Premier League promotion charge already has the attention of clubs across Europe. Even if they slip up in their pursuit of top‑flight football, several big clubs will be waiting outside the Saints’ offices with transfer requests for their key players.

Several Saints have already been identified as targets for European clubs. Now, another player is tipped to join the list of monitored players, which already includes Léo Scienza, Fin Azaz, Shea Charles, and Joshua Quarshie.

The Saint in question is Caspar Jander. Though the defensive midfielder has been pushed down the club’s pecking order since Shea Charles’s emergence, he remains highly valued by VfB Stuttgart for a summer move.

Saints Extra updated about Stuttgart’s interest in Jander, quoting: “Bundesliga side Stuttgart are targeting a summer move for Southampton midfielder Caspar Jander, who would cost around €25m [£21.7m]”

VfB Stuttgart are interested in Caspar Jander

Ever since Jander arrived at St. Mary’s, rumours of a return to Germany have never really ceased. Though Tonda Eckert has previously fended off any suggestion of Jander wanting to leave, the midfielder has always had keen admirers in the Bundesliga.

The latest interest from Stuttgart confirms that. The German side highly values Jander for his versatility and technical game‑controlling ability.

So far, Jander has made 35 appearances for Southampton this season. Though mainly deployed as a defensive midfielder, his playmaking abilities have been an underrated asset.

Caspar Jander excels in shielding the Saints’ defence. Though he has had a couple of goals, Jander’s prominence comes from doing the dirty work of tackling and breaking up opposition plays.

Stuttgart’s interest in bringing Jander back to Germany stems from multiple reasons. However, the most important of them is their need to replace Angelo Stiller ahead of the summer transfer window.

Stiller has emerged as a potential target for elite clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich. Stuttgart intend to plan for his departure by replacing him with Saints prodigy Caspar Jander.

In return, Stuttgart have an exciting package to offer. While Southampton could receive a fee in the region of €25m, the Bundesliga club would plan to lure Jander with the promise of European football.

Stuttgart are currently fourth in the Bundesliga and hopeful of landing Champions League football. Even if they slip, they can almost guarantee Jander a taste of European competition in the Europa League or Conference League, if he signs.

Southampton can be asked to choose either Charles or Jander

It’s no secret that Southampton will struggle to retain their core ahead of next season. With multiple players starring in the promotion push, Southampton will have several difficult choices to make this summer.

One such dilemma could see them having to choose between Shea Charles and Caspar Jander for the future.

Not long ago, Premier League clubs came calling for Shea Charles. Though Southampton will be reluctant to let him go cheaply, the Caspar Jander rumour gives them a choice to back one midfield prodigy for their long-term project.

The recent shift in Southampton’s midfield could influence that decision. Shea Charles has emerged as a hero for both Northern Ireland and Southampton. His performances in the World Cup qualifiers and his winner against Arsenal have skyrocketed his reputation.

This shift has placed Charles a bit higher in Tonda Eckert’s pecking order. If push comes to shove, Southampton are more likely to go to their limits to retain Shea Charles than Caspar Jander.

That’s not to downplay Jander’s potential, but Southampton may be more willing to let the German prodigy go. With plentiful options in Charles, Cam Bragg, Flynn Downes, and veteran Oriol Romeu, collecting a profit on Jander would make sense.

Again, a lot can change in the final week of the season. What’s certain is that Southampton are in for an exciting summer regarding Caspar Jander’s future.