Will Undav follow Guirassy?: The next goal phenomenon is ready in Stuttgart

Does Undav follow Guirassy?
The next goal phenomenon is ready in Stuttgart

By Emmanuel Schneider
October 27, 2023, 9:09 p.m

The Stuttgart goal wonder Serhou Guirassy is injured, but there is no need to panic at VfB. Because in the second row is the next possible surprise: Deniz Undaz is an unusual football professional who is driven by a big dream.

Off into the curve, look casual, raise both arms and flex. Deniz Undav has already perfected the patented biceps cheer. The fans of VfB Stuttgart didn’t really have to wait long. In his first Bundesliga appearance for the Swabians he provided an assist, but in the second game against Darmstadt he seemed a bit clumsy and squandered a great chance.

In the away game in Cologne, his third substitute appearance, Deniz Undav scored twice and secured the Swabians’ 2-0 victory – including a biceps celebration. The 27-year-old scored again after coming on as a substitute against Union Berlin last weekend.

But this one had it all. After a good half hour, Stuttgart’s goal monster Serhou Guirassy had to go down with muscle problems in his thigh. The diagnosis followed later: the Guinea national player will be out for weeks. The number one replacement candidate is the man who represented Guirassy in the game against Union: Deniz Undav.

Undav surprises with top score

In the shadow of the incredible Guirassy series, the noble joker also has a fantastic value. He only needed a total of 133 minutes for his three goals and one assist, meaning Undav scores a goal every around 44 minutes. With his expected goal value of 1.58 per 90 minutes, he currently leads all Bundesliga professionals who have played at least 120 minutes this season. For comparison: Guirassy’s value is “only” 1.06.

The question is: Can Undav perform for over 90 minutes? So far he has only made five short appearances. There are also injury-related reasons for this. Shortly after his move from Brighton & Hove Albion to VfB in the summer, he injured his outer knee ligament and had to fight back for weeks. “I don’t think he’s at 100 percent yet. But he’s definitely not far away,” coach Sebastian Hoeneß said before the game against Union.

However, VfB will probably only be able to accomplish the herculean task of adequately replacing Guirassy in conjunction with Undav, Enzo Millot and Silas. Even if the greatest hope probably lies on the shoulders of the newcomer.

From Meppen via Belgium to the Premier League

To describe Undav’s career path as unusual is actually a massive understatement. The German-Turk only initially played for a top club (Werder Bremen) as a youth. The young man from Lower Saxony then took the rocky path through lower-class clubs in the regional league such as Halvese, Braunschweig II and SV Meppen.

There he played in the 3rd division, where the up-and-coming Belgian second division team Union St. Gilloise discovered him. The club, which now plays in the Europa League, uses algorithms and data research in the style of “Moneyball” to find players who fly under the radar at other clubs. Undav made his breakthrough there in the 20/21 season. With 17 goals, he shot the Belgians into the first division, and things continued one level higher. Undav became top scorer in the Jupiler Pro League with 25 goals, while Gilloise was runner-up.

The journey then continued to Brighton, who were happy to offer themselves as buyers of Gilloise players. The main shareholder of the clubs is the same person. After one season (5 goals in 22 league games), VfB Stuttgart, who wanted to make their offensive game more variable, snapped up the deal.

It is uncertain how long he will stay with VfB. The thing is: Undav is only on loan from Brighton & Hove to VfB Stuttgart until the end of the season. However, his contract includes a purchase option. According to information from “Kicker”, this should amount to more than 12 million euros. Whether the Swabians will take the option depends on several factors: Firstly, sporting success, which would replenish the Swabian coffers through TV money. The future of storm colleague Guirassy may also have an influence on Undav’s whereabouts.

Undav dreams of the 2024 European Championships

One thing is clear: By scoring goals for VfB, Undav also wants to fulfill his big dream of winning the European Championship in his own country. “My dream is to play at the European Championships. I’ve scored my goals. I have to perform. Maybe I’ll get the chance to play for Germany. That would be my dream. I’ll work even harder towards that,” he said in summer the “Kicker”.

In the coming weeks he can continue to gather arguments for a nomination. The new national coach Julian Nagelsmann has already nominated a VfB player, Chris Führich, so he may also play in the Stuttgart Arena.

The lively Undav has already established himself among VfB fans; he is considered down-to-earth and close to the fans. The attacker watched the Swabians’ away game against Leipzig in a pub while he was injured. His favorite food: doner kebab. A traditional Brighton blogger explained at “Around the chest ring” already in the summer: “If Stuttgart has a few good kebab shops, then you can expect great things from Undav!” Well, according to reports there are good kebab shops in the state capital of Baden-Württemberg. At least better ones than in the south of England.