FC Porto Competes with Stuttgart for Dzenan Pejcinovic
FC Porto have muscled into VfB Stuttgart’s pursuit of Dzenan Pejcinovic, turning an already complicated transfer into a full-blown tug-of-war.
According to Bild, the Portuguese champions have already tested Wolfsburg’s resolve with an opening bid of around €23 million. It didn’t last long. Wolfsburg, relegated but in no mood to sell cheap, rejected it immediately.
They know what they have. And they know what they want.
Wolfsburg are said to be holding out for at least €25 million for the 21-year-old, whose contract in Lower Saxony runs until 2029. Porto are not walking away, though. A second offer is expected. The race is on.
Stuttgart’s dream signing meets a hard reality
For Stuttgart, Pejcinovic is more than just another number nine. Inside the club, he is viewed as a dream signing, a key piece for a squad that has suddenly had to think in Champions League dimensions.
They have already felt the sting of Wolfsburg’s valuation. VfB’s most recent proposal – a package worth around €18 million – was turned down. Now, with Porto at the table, the price is only going one way.
Bild report that Stuttgart are preparing a new offer of about €22 million. It still falls short of Wolfsburg’s line in the sand. And with a serious rival now involved, there is little reason for the Wolves to soften their stance.
The sporting logic for Stuttgart is clear, even if the numbers hurt. Up front, they already have Ermedin Demirovic and Deniz Undav – two high-calibre starters who powered last season’s surge. Behind them, Jeremy Arevalo, signed in January, is still adapting, while Jovan Milosevic has returned from loans at Partizan Belgrade and Werder Bremen but is expected to move on again.
Pejcinovic, in that context, would not just be another body. He would turn an already strong attacking line into one of real depth for the Champions League campaign.
Demirovic question sparks irritation
The pursuit of Pejcinovic has inevitably triggered speculation about Demirovic’s future. Reports from Sky suggested coach Sebastian Hoeneß would be open to a sale, with Fenerbahce and Juventus among the clubs linked with the Bosnia international.
Hoeneß did not appreciate the narrative.
“I was irritated and, to be honest, also annoyed by some of what was discussed there,” he told Bild, making his stance clear. “My goal is always to have the best players at VfB and Medo is one of our best players.”
The message is unmistakable: Stuttgart want Demirovic and Pejcinovic. Not Demirovic or Pejcinovic.
Whether the finances allow that is another matter entirely.
Pejcinovic’s preference tilts the board
If Wolfsburg hold the strongest contract position, Stuttgart hold the emotional one.
Pejcinovic is understood to favour a move to VfB. He wants to leave Wolfsburg after relegation but remain in Germany. Stuttgart tick all the boxes: Champions League football, a rising project, and geographical pull.
A move to the Swabian city would take him closer to his roots in Munich. He began in Bayern Munich’s youth system before joining Augsburg at 12, then stepping up to Wolfsburg from Augsburg’s Under-19s in 2022.
His path has not been straightforward. A loan to Fortuna Düsseldorf in the 2024/25 season brought minutes but also a second metatarsal fracture. Last season, back at Wolfsburg, he finally broke through: 12 goals across 34 appearances in all competitions, enough to light up scouting departments across Europe.
Porto can match Stuttgart on Champions League football. What they cannot offer is a top-five league or proximity to home. For a 21-year-old still building his career in German football, those details matter.
Porto’s own number nine puzzle
Porto’s interest is not casual. They have already moved at centre-forward this summer, bringing back former Bundesliga striker Andre Silva from Elche to his boyhood club. Yet the picture in attack remains unsettled.
Samu Aghehowa, the club’s attacking jewel and a player repeatedly linked with Europe’s elite, tore his ACL in February and is not expected back until late October. In his absence, Terem Moffi – on loan from OGC Nice – and Turkey international Deniz Gül have shared the workload. Neither convinced consistently.
Pejcinovic, in that light, is not a luxury. He is a potential solution.
Porto know him well from painful experience in Stuttgart. Last season, they knocked VfB out of the Europa League in the round of 16, winning 2-1 in Germany thanks to goals from Moffi and top prospect Rodrigo Mora, then finishing the job with a 2-0 home win despite a wave of Stuttgart chances.
They frustrated Stuttgart on the pitch. Now they threaten to do the same in the transfer market.
A three-way standoff
The dynamics are clear.
Wolfsburg sit on a long contract and a firm €25 million valuation. Porto are ready to push again after an initial rejection. Stuttgart have the player’s preference, the Champions League platform, and a plan that includes him without sacrificing Demirovic.
Somewhere between those three, a decision will land.
Does Wolfsburg cash in now at a slightly lower fee to honour the player’s wish to stay in Germany? Does Porto raise the stakes to a point Stuttgart cannot reach? Or do VfB stretch their budget to secure the striker they see as central to their next step?
For Pejcinovic, the choice looks simple. For the clubs, it is anything but.
