Liverpool are “showing strong interest” VfB Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller, according to a report in Germany, who has been likened to Toni Kroos.
The Reds are set for a busy summer as Arne Slot starts to mould the squad he inherited into his own, and Stiller is the latest linked as a potential No. 6 option.
Liverpool are described as having “signalled serious interest” in Stiller, a defensive midfielder, and a transfer fee in the region of €60 million (£51m) could have Stuttgart “thinking twice.”
The 24-year-old has “become a major focus” for the Reds according to the informed Stuttgarter Nachrichten, who are reliable when it comes to VfB Stuttgart.
Stiller joined Stuttgart from Hoffenheim in 2023 and in January he extended his contract until 2028, meaning an enticing financial package would be required to tempt them into selling.
A deal of €60 million (£51m) would represent a transfer record for the German club.
The German midfielder started his career rising through the ranks at Bayern and now is a regular for Stuttgart – he has played 45 games this season with a return of four goals and nine assists.
He has been readily likened to German legend Kroos, and he said this of the comparisons: “Toni and I are similar in terms of playing style, and just like him, I try to put my stamp on the game with my strengths.”
Who is Angelo Stiller?
The 24-year-old left Bayern Munich in 2021 to join Hoffenheim, where he remained until the summer of 2023 before joining Stuttgart and seeing his star rise across Europe.
Stiller helped Stuttgart to a historic second-place finish in the Bundesliga last season and is described by Breaking the Lines as a pivot with “vision of the game, good at recovery and important in creating offensive plays.”
His game intelligence makes him key in connecting defence and attack, able to break up the play defensively but just as capable of propelling the team forward on the ball.
“He is a player project ready to lead the core of a great project” and “ideal for a team whose game is based on possession,” Breaking the Lines assessed, key traits we can link with Slot.
While Ryan Gravenberch has thrived in the No. 6 position this season after a failed attempt to land Martin Zubimendi last summer, the Reds need depth and that is something Stiller can offer with his skill set.
He is versatile enough to also perform the role Alexis Mac Alister operates in and with over 130 senior appearances at 24 he is an appealing option, it is just a matter of the club’s priorities.
Liverpool are expected to be in the market for a No. 9, a new left-back, a centre-back and now a right-back after Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s decision.
