Liverpool rivalled by shock club in race to sign Van Dijk heir

Tom Weber

• Updated: 4 Jan 2024 17:05 GMT
• 3 min read

Bundesliga surprise package VfB Stuttgart are interested in signing Lloyd Kelly, according to a report.

The Bournemouth defender is a sought-after commodity as his contract expires in the summer. Despite reports that the Cherries are ready to break the bank and hand him a club-record new deal, little in the way of an extension has so far actually materialised for the 25-year-old.

Kelly's contract situation has made him an attractive and potentially cheap option for some of the Premier League's bigger fish, such as Liverpool and Tottenham, who are both in the market to strengthen the centre-back department due to injury concerns and a lack of depth.

For Liverpool, Kelly could be a long-term heir to Virgil van Dijk. The Bournemouth star is the exact profile of player the Reds are said to be looking for - left-footed and still relatively young but with ample top-level experience - but reports of their supposed interest have gone quiet in recent times.

Now, a rather surprising club has emerged as a potential option for the out-of-contract defender.

Kelly to...Stuttgart?

According to Sky Sports, VfB Stuttgart have enquired about Kelly. It is claimed that the Bundesliga surprise package have approached the player's representatives to explore the conditions of a potential deal.

Had it not been for Bayer Leverkusen's stunning charge to the top of the Bundesliga table this season, many would be talking about Stuttgart as the biggest revelation of the campaign so far. Sebastian Hoeneß has the Swabians sitting in third after battling against the drop last season.

Despite their success, it would be quite surprising to see a sought-after Premier League player such as Kelly head to Stuttgart. Intriguingly, the above-mentioned report states that Hoeneß's side aren't the only German club interested in Kelly. Two additional, unnamed teams have also approached him, it is claimed.