VfB Stuttgart’s €7 Million Enigma: Jeremy Arevalo’s Slow Start and World Cup Doubts

VfB Stuttgart made a significant investment in striker Jeremy Arevalo during the winter transfer window, but the 21-year-old has yet to make a substantial impact on the team. His arrival has sparked confusion and even jeopardizes his potential nomination for the World Cup.

The club’s offensive reinforcements, Badredine Bouanani and Bilal El Khannouss, acquired after coach Sebastian Hoeneß expressed dissatisfaction with the squad planning, have not fully addressed the team’s goal-scoring needs. While El Khannouss has proven to be a valuable addition, Bouanani has fallen short of expectations. The initial attempt to sign a pure striker, Hyeon-gyu Oh, failed due to a medical issue on deadline day.

Despite the team’s strong performance in the Bundesliga and cup competitions, the striking conundrum persisted. VfB Stuttgart then activated the release clause for Jeremy Arevalo from Spanish second-division club Racing Santander, reportedly for seven million euros. However, the Ecuadorian international has struggled to integrate into the team.

Did Jeremy Arevalo’s Move to VfB Stuttgart Come Too Soon?

Since his transfer, Arevalo has accumulated a mere 30 minutes of game time across six Bundesliga appearances, managing just one assist. His potential was hinted at in his sole appearance for the reserve team in the 3. Liga, where he scored a goal and provided another assist in a 3-1 victory. Beyond this, there’s little to report positively, leaving all parties involved likely hoping for more from the transfer.

Arevalo was not included in the matchday squad for several Bundesliga games around the time of the match against FC St. Pauli, which led to his brief stint with the reserve team. He also did not make the Europa League squad. Coach Hoeneß explained that only a limited number of players could be registered, and others were currently ahead of him. He acknowledged that Arevalo was coming from a different league and culture and that a faster adaptation was hoped for, but recognized such a situation could arise.

Could the move to an ambitious Bundesliga club have been premature for Arevalo? Not necessarily. The attacking options were indeed limited at the time of his transfer, as predicted by Hoeneß in the summer. A scoreless draw against TSG Hoffenheim shortly before the winter break highlighted the team’s lack of cutting edge, yet the coach made only two substitutions, one of which was offensive. Tiago Tomas, who has also been deployed as a central striker this season, was replaced, though his strengths lie deeper on the field, similar to Bouanani.

Furthermore, Bilal El Khannouss was participating in the Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco, and Ermedin Demirovic was sidelined with a complex foot injury that healed slower than anticipated, delaying his return until after the Bundesliga restart in January. This created a clear pathway for Arevalo to make a successful debut.

Disappointing Interim Assessment! Jeremy Arevalo Fears for His World Cup Ticket

Upon his arrival, Arevalo expressed his ambition: «My goals are to settle in quickly, continue to develop, and help the team so that we can be successful together.» Consequently, his personal interim assessment of his first months at VfB must be disappointing. What he needs most is patience.

VfB management had anticipated that Arevalo might not be an immediate contributor. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth stated, «We still see a lot of potential in Jeremy that we want to develop with him.» This foresight is reflected in his contract, which runs until 2031. However, Arevalo owes the club proof that he was worth such a significant investment. Spanish-speaking players like Chema Andres are reportedly assisting with his acclimatization, with Hoeneß instructing them to facilitate his integration, as they themselves received help upon their arrival.

So far, Arevalo’s integration has largely been from the sidelines, including another appearance from the stands against Borussia Dortmund recently. Wohlgemuth acknowledged that «Jeremy is in the process of arriving here. It will take some time.» He added optimistically after Arevalo was omitted from the squad against Gladbach in late January that «he will certainly get his appearances.»

This prediction has not materialized, with only four brief appearances of no more than six minutes since. It is now up to Arevalo to validate the hopes placed in him in the coming weeks until the end of the season and emerge as a late bloomer. This opportunity, however, is not guaranteed. As a three-time Ecuadorian international, he is also vying for a World Cup spot, which could lead to him facing some of his VfB teammates, as Ecuador is set to face Germany in the group stage.

Despite his mixed start at VfB, Arevalo has not entirely damaged his World Cup prospects. Coach Sebastian Beccacece recently brought him on as a substitute in two matches during the international break.

VfB Stuttgart: All Transfers of the 2025/26 Season at a Glance

Below is a summary of VfB Stuttgart’s transfer activity for the 2025/26 season.

Incomings:

Outgoings: