Yannik Keitel close to joining VfB Stuttgart on a free transfer in the summer | OneFootball

Sky Germany reports that Yannik Keitel is close to joining VfB Stuttgart in the summer when his contract expires at SC Freiburg.

Keitel has a verbal agreement with Stuttgart over a move in the summer. The 23-year-old had originally decided to stay at Freiburg to try and fight for his place in midfield but since last summer, playing time has been hard to come by for Keitel.

The 23-year-old has only played four times for Freiburg this season and has struggled to break the midfield duo of Nicolas Höfler and Maximilian Eggestein, while the emergence of Merlin Röhl this season has also affected Keitel’s playing time.

For Stuttgart, Keitel will provide much-needed backup in central midfield. This season, VfB have had to rely solely on Atakhan Karazor and Angelo Stiller in midfield and the arrival of Keitel will mean that either midfield would be rested especially if Stuttgart qualify for European football next season.

GGFN | Jack Meenan