Stuttgart: Why Undav's refusal surprises the national team
National team coach Jürgen Klopp has, after a secret meeting in Stuttgart, removed VfB striker Deniz Undav from the squad for the upcoming DFB international match period, even though the 29‑year‑old forward has not yet scored a goal, but has already provided four assists.
Secret Meeting and Reason for Decision
According to reports, the confidential conversation between Klopp and Undav took place in Stuttgart. The 29‑year‑old striker has been struggling with Achilles tendon problems since the start of the season, which is why Klopp wants to spare him for the current DFB international match period. Klopp emphasized that Undav could resume a central role once he is 100 percent fit.
So far, Undav has not scored any goals in the new season, but has already contributed four assists. Klopp's decision is understandable from a performance management perspective, allowing the VfB striker to recover at his own pace.
Further Attacking Options in Focus
For the attack, Klopp plans to nominate several new names, including Younes Ebnoutalib, who accidentally announced his call‑up publicly. Other candidates could be Nicolo Tresoldi and Dzenan Pejcinovic, whose possible call‑up will be announced on Thursday from 10 a.m.
The decision sparked immediate surprise among many fans and experts. The DFB squad remains broadly set up despite Undav's absence, which further fuels the discussion about striking options.
During the break, Undav can calmly regenerate his Achilles tendon in VfB Stuttgart's training. In the meantime, Klopp can scrutinize other strikers more closely.
The omission of Undav is considered one of the biggest surprises of the first DFB nomination under Jürgen Klopp. Many observers had still expected the VfB striker to be in the squad despite his injury concerns.
The final squad composition will be published on Thursday from 10 a.m., providing clarity about further possible new arrivals. This gives fans insight into which young forwards Klopp will consider in the future.