VfB Stuttgart Re-evaluates Transfer Strategy After Seimen and Diehl Injuries

Injuries Disrupt Stuttgart’s Season Preparation

The VfB Stuttgart squad has been hit by a double injury blow early in the preseason. According to the club’s official announcement, both 20-year-old goalkeeper Dennis Seimen and 21-year-old winger Justin Diehl suffered muscle injuries in their thighs during training. While Seimen sustained damage to the back of his thigh, Diehl’s injury affects the front, leaving both sidelined until the international break in late September 2026.

For Seimen, the injury is particularly ill-timed. After a successful loan spell at SC Paderborn, where he played in all 34 second-division matches and both relegation playoffs, he was slated to take over the starting goalkeeper role following the departure of Alexander Nübel, as reported by Transfermarkt. BILD notes that the club had initially intended for Seimen to be the new number one, making his absence during the primary preparation phase a significant hurdle for the team.

Wohlgemuth Weighs Transfer Market Options

The sudden unavailability of their projected starting keeper has forced VfB Stuttgart’s leadership to reconsider their personnel plans. Vorstand Sport Fabian Wohlgemuth expressed clear frustration regarding the timing of these injuries.

“Das sind definitiv schlechte Nachrichten, weil sich jetzt schon sagen lässt, dass Dennis und Justin für die erste Saisonphase nicht zur Verfügung stehen. Auf der Torhüterposition waren unsere Personalplanungen für die kommende Saison bekanntermaßen weitestgehend abgeschlossen. Wir haben auch ohne Dennis viel Qualität in unserem Torhüterteam, dennoch müssen wir in den kommenden Tagen erörtern, ob wir nochmals auf dem Transfermarkt aktiv werden.”

Fabian Wohlgemuth, Vorstand Sport of VfB Stuttgart

While the team possesses depth, the decision on whether to pursue a new signing depends on the expected recovery timeline and the club’s confidence in the existing rotation.

Justin Diehl’s Continued Injury Struggles

The injury to Justin Diehl marks another difficult chapter for the young winger since his move from 1. FC Köln in 2024. Diehl had been looking to establish himself at the professional level after spending much of the previous season with the VfB U21 squad in the 3. Liga, where he contributed three goals and four assists toward the team’s successful fight against relegation.

According to BILD, Diehl has struggled with significant injury setbacks during his time in Stuttgart, logging only 156 minutes of play for the first team. The club had reportedly been considering a loan move for the attacker for the upcoming season, but this latest injury has likely rendered any such deal impossible for the immediate future. With both players now ruled out until at least late September, the focus for the VfB medical staff shifts to ensuring a full, long-term recovery for two of the club’s most promising young talents.