Newcastle Has Its Eye on a Stuttgart Midfielder With a Weird Release Clause Twist

Newcastle United is back in the German market, and this time they’re looking at VfB Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller. The Magpies have a history here — they spent €75 million on Nick Woltemade last summer — and now they’re circling another Stuttgart talent.

According to Kicker, Stiller has a release clause worth €36.5 million. But here’s where it gets odd. Stuttgart can actually cancel that clause entirely by paying the player €2 million. If they do that, the club can then negotiate a higher fee with any buyer. So the release clause is real, unless Stuttgart decides it isn’t.

Stiller played all 34 Bundesliga matches in the 2025/26 season, helping Stuttgart finish fourth and lock up a Champions League spot. That’s good company — they finished ahead of Hoffenheim — and it explains why a bunch of big clubs are paying attention. Real Madrid, Juventus, and Chelsea have all shown interest. Manchester United tried to get him last summer and got turned away late in the window.

But it makes sense that Newcastle would try. They’ve already dealt with Stuttgart once. They know the front office. And if Stiller is available for something around that €36.5m number, that’s a pretty reasonable price for a 25-year-old midfielder who’s starting 34 league games a year for a Champions League team.

What happens if Stiller leaves Stuttgart

If Stiller does move on, Stuttgart already has a replacement in mind. Sky Germany reports the club is interested in Anderlecht’s Nathan De Cat, who’s only 17. Talks have already happened, but Hoffenheim is also in the mix. Anderlecht is reportedly asking for at least €25 million for De Cat, who’s drawn interest from Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Arsenal over the last year.

So the chain reaction here is pretty straightforward. Newcastle wants Stiller. If they get him, Stuttgart wants De Cat. But De Cat is expensive and other clubs are involved. And Stuttgart might be able to get more than that €36.5m clause if they just pay Stiller a couple million first.

It’s a weird little loophole, honestly. Pay a guy €2m to basically reset the terms of his contract so you can sell him for more. Smart business if it works. But it also means Newcastle might not know the actual price until Stuttgart decides which path they want to take.

Stiller’s contract runs through June 2028, so Stuttgart isn’t in a rush. But if a Champions League–caliber club comes in with a real offer, they’ll have a decision to make.