Pascal Stenzel remains without a club following his departure from VfB Stuttgart, prompting surprise from head coach Sebastian Hoeneß over the 30-year-old defender’s prolonged free-agent status, Transfermarkt reported.
Hoeneß Expresses Surprise Over Stenzel’s Free-Agent Status
The veteran defender finished a seven-year stint with VfB Stuttgart when his contract expired in the summer, after seeing limited playing time toward the end of his tenure. Ahead of Stuttgart’s Bundesliga fixture against promoted SC Paderborn, Hoeneß voiced bewilderment that no club has signed the versatile player.
“I am genuinely surprised that no one has snapped him up yet,” Hoeneß said. “At least every second-tier club, but also one or two top-flight clubs, should take another look at him.”
Stenzel Sees Market Value Drop at VfB Stuttgart
Stenzel represented VfB Stuttgart from 2019 through 2026, making 139 appearances and contributing 13 goal involvements across all competitions. Fans in Stuttgart affectionately referred to him as a “football god” during his peak years with the club.
In the most recent market value update tracked by Transfermarkt, Stenzel was valued at 800,000 euros, dropping from a previous mark of 1.2 million euros. Among German players currently without a contract, only Marcel Beifus at 1.8 million euros and Cedric Teuchert at 1 million euros hold higher valuations.
His career-high market valuation reached 6.5 million euros in December 2018.
Hoeneß Praises Stenzel for Team-Oriented Mentality
Describing Stenzel as an intelligent, ambitious, and 100-percent team-oriented player, Hoeneß emphasized that the defender still possesses the underlying ability that defined his career. “He is not yet at an age where what he can do has disappeared,” Hoeneß said.
The coach added that he thoroughly enjoyed working with the player nicknamed “Kalle” and suggested that Stuttgart should eventually find a way to incorporate his personal and human qualities back into the club organization in some capacity.
