BERLIN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Stuttgart has signed midfielder Grischa Promel on a free transfer from Hoffenheim, handing the 31-year-old a contract until June 2029 as he returns to his home region, the club announced on Monday.
Promel becomes Stuttgart's first signing ahead of the 2026-27 season after four years at Hoffenheim. Born in Cannstatt and raised in nearby Esslingen, he grew up following Stuttgart from the stands, even though he never played for the club's academy.
"The wish to move to VfB has been inside me for a long time," Promel said in the club statement. "I was born in Cannstatt, grew up in Esslingen and have always followed Stuttgart over all these years. For me, in a certain way, a dream is now coming true and I am looking forward to wearing the red chest band from next season."
Promel said Stuttgart's recent rise had also influenced his decision, praising the "enormous power" the club had generated and its "attractive style of play".
Stuttgart finished fourth in the Bundesliga to qualify for the Champions League and reached the German Cup final, losing 3-0 to Bayern Munich after winning the cup the previous year.
"It is impressive where the club now stands, and it feels good to become part of this path," Promel said.
Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth welcomed a signing he said combined quality, ambition and experience.
"Grischa has excellent footballing abilities, is extremely ambitious and has gathered a lot of important experience in recent years," Wohlgemuth said. "This combination makes him a very valuable new signing for us, especially as he comes from the region and therefore brings a high level of identification with VfB."
Promel began his career with Esslingen and Stuttgarter Kickers youth teams before later spells with Hoffenheim, Karlsruher and Union Berlin. He made 141 competitive appearances for Union, scoring 20 goals and providing 10 assists, before returning to Hoffenheim, where he played 87 matches, scored 14 goals and registered eight assists.
He has also represented Germany 22 times at youth and Olympic level, including four appearances for the side that won silver at the Rio 2016 Games. He received a senior national team call-up in November 2023 but did not feature. ■
