Mario Gomez [Stuttgart]

[Vargas_4]

The Rossoneri have identified a top-class centre forward as their number one transfer priority...

the dethroned European Champions are looking at two slightly cheaper alternatives in Gomez...

The 22-year-old Stuttgart star Gomez has a Spanish father and a German mother, but has opted to play his national football for the country of his birth, Germany.

The striker, who was Player of the Year in Germany last year, has been in fine form again this season, and is currently the joint top-scorer in the Bundesliga with Luca Toni, on 14 goals.

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Goal.com - Transfer Zone - Milan To Sign Gomez Or Berbatov – Report

[RunX]

15 goals .. from 19 matches ?
great striker

[Trim]

VfB Stuttgart trainer Armin Veh has admitted he is under no illusions that star striker Mario Gomez will fulfil his contract, but has stressed he will be at the club next season.

Gomez has a contract at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion until 2012, but Veh admits he knows the German international will be sold before then.

“I am under no illusions. He will end up at one of the bigger European clubs as VfB is too small for him” Veh explained in an interview with the DSF program ‘Doppelpass’.

However, Veh stressed that Gomez would be staying with the Swabians for next season. “Mario will still be here next year. That has been agreed” the 47 year old said.

Veh believes that Gomez “is the best German striker” at the moment. The Stuttgart hit-man has hit eight goals since the restart of the Bundesliga after the winter break and is second in the goal scoring charts behind Luca Toni with 15 in total.

“Mario I very quick, dynamic, and is strong in the air. He can become one of the best strikers in Europe. He is self confident, but not arrogant. He is a fine young man” Veh added.

Gomez was linked with a move to Juventus last summer and there has been reported interest from Chelsea and Milan this season. With his Spanish roots, he has also been tipped with a move to a top side in La Liga.

Goal.com - VfB Stuttgart - Veh: Gomez Will Leave, But Not Yet

[Vargas_4]

VfB Stuttgart have been dealt a severe blow in their quest to qualify for Europe this season with the news that in-form striker Mario Gomez will be out for two weeks with a thigh muscle injury.

The 22 year old striker suffered the injury on Sunday during Stuttgart’s Bundesliga draw away to Hannover. The club have intimated that the international forward, who has been in a rich vein of form recently, will be out for the next two weeks.

“An injury is always annoying, and in the first instant I was deeply disappointed” Gomes admitted.

“Ultimately I can’t change things, but will do all I can to get back as quickly as possible” he told the club’s official website.

Gomez has hit 15 league goals for the Swabians in 20 games this season and has been particularly prolific since the winter break. He grabbed another two for Germany last week in their 4-0 friendly win over Switzerland.

He will miss the crucial clash at home to Hamburg on Saturday, and then also the away trip to face Bayer Leverkusen, both of which could have a huge bearing on where Stuttgart finish at the end of the season.

Stuttgart manager Horst Heldt although disappointed, believes the club will cope without their talismanic striker.

“Of course it is disappointing particularly as Mario was in such top form. We are convinced though that the team will manage his absence. We did it last year when Mario wasn’t available” he said.

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http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=643024

[Vargas_4]

Too bad for Stuttgart.

[Trim]

Bad news for both Stuttgart and Mario himself. Just when he's at top form.

[Vargas_4]

There are ever more signs that top rated Germany striker Mario Gomez will no longer be at VfB Stuttgart come next season, though it will likely require a Bundesliga record fee to prise him away.

Stuttgart have unofficially slapped a 50m EUR fee on the 22-year-old, who counts the likes of AC Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Roma as his suitors. This is more than triple the amount of his valuation from the beginning of the season, so the Italian capital club is likely to have withdrawn their interest, however.

"One cannot insure the market value of Mario, we feel he is worth about 50 million euros," said Stuttgart's director of sport Jochen Schneider.

VfB coach Armin Veh also chimed in with an opinion, which was both forthright and perhaps overly optimistic.

"If I were Real's coach, I would want to sign him. But his favourite Spanish team is Barcelona - and Real are the arch-enemy," he said.

"The plan is that Mario wil stay with us for a few more years, that time is extremely important for his development."

Gomez will be out for two weeks with a thigh muscle injury, meaning that 'Mister Zuverlaessig' (Mr Reliable) will miss the crucial clash at home to Hamburg on Saturday, and then also the away trip to face Bayer Leverkusen, both of which could have a huge bearing on where Stuttgart finish at the end of the season.

"It cannot be changed. I want to be fit again as soon as possible, but I have to be patient and wait," said Gomez, who tore a thigh muscle against Hannover last weekend.

It is a significant blow for his club's aspirations for securing European football for next season as Gomez has hit 15 league goals for the Swabians in 20 games this season and has been particularly prolific since the winter break. He grabbed another two for Germany last week in their 4-0 friendly win over Switzerland.

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Goal.com - Bundesliga - Stuttgart Want €50m For Gomez

[Vargas_4]

^ Wow. Now that's a high price tag.

I dunno if anybody will be willing to sign him now.

I guess that's what Stuttgart was aiming for

[Oliver_Kahn]

He isn't worth it, no player is in my opinion, but this release clause doesn't exactly mean he will only get sold for that amount, it just specifies exactly how much VfB are hoping for. When he gets sold, it will be 30-35m €, not more than that.

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Well, if Lyon are dreaming to sell Benzema for 60 or whatever million euros, why can't Stuttgart dream of selling Gomez for 50 million.

As Miguel said, no player is worth that much.

And, in the end, Gomez will be sold for 30-35 million euros, he's worth that much originally.

[Vargas_4]

Mario Gomez’s agent Maurizio Gaudino has moved to quell rumours of a possible move to Italy, responding to reports that Roma have declared their interest

The VfB Stuttgart striker, who has bagged 24 goals in just 27 appearances so far this season, is among the most sought-after young strikers in Europe.

A host of clubs from Italy and Spain in particular are rumoured to be interested in securing the services of ‘Mr Reliable’, as the Stuttgart fans have dubbed him.

But Gaudino insists that although Gomez ultimately wishes to move abroad, the 22-year-old German international is not yet ready to leave the Bundesliga, and has dismissed speculation that the likes of Roma, AC Milan and Real Madrid have enquired after the player.

“He'd like to move to Italy or Spain, because his father is Spanish,” he said. “But this will be tackled when the time comes.

“No, Roma has not talked to us, we learn about these things only from the newspapers. Nor AC Milan or Real Madrid have talked to us, Mario also has a contract.”

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Goal.com - VfB Stuttgart - Gomez Going Nowhere, Says Agent

[Vargas_4]

Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez has been voted the Bundesliga player of the Month for March.

The VfB striker and last season’s player of the season beat Franck Ribéry into second place and Paulo Guerrero into third.

The German international forward won 71.4% of the votes in the poll organised by DSF and Kicker. Bayern midfielder Ribéry polled 18.3%, while Hamburg striker Guerrero received 10.2%.

Gomez has catapulted himself into the limelight with four Bundesliga goals in March as well as two assists and two goals for Germany against Euro 2008 host Switzerland.

The young striker had an equally successful February with another four goals and one for Germany against Austria. All the goals have however increased the speculation of a move away from Stuttgart with a number of top European clubs looking at Gomez.

'Super Mario' is involved in a close race with Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni for the Bundesliga scoring crown. Toni currently has 16, while Gomez is one behind on 15.

Unfortunately an injury will keep him out of Stuttgart’s next two games.

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Goal.com - Bundesliga - Gomez Voted Player Of The Month

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Yeah, he has deserved this award, really.

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Wenger Leading Gomez Chase?

Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger is leading the chase to sign Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez according to reports.

Gomez, 22, currently plays for Stuttgart and is making a huge name for himself in the Bundesliga. Last year he was voted the German player of the year and this season he is currently the second highest top scorer in the Bundesliga, behind Luca Toni, having scored 18 goals in 23 appearances.

His goals have brought him to the attention of Wenger and the young striker is thought to be interesting the Arsenal manager who is looking to bolster his strike force.

Although Arsene Wenger already has plenty of attacking options at the club with Adebayor, Van Persie, Bendtner, Eduardo and Walcott it is believed he is keen to add another striker after seeing his side fall short in the hunt for trophies this season due to injuries.

Eduardo will miss the start of the new season and Van Persie has also had an injury interrupted career so far. The Arsenal futures of Bendtner and Adebayor are also subject to speculation whereas Walcott, still just a teenager, is still somewhat raw. All of which has prompted Wenger’s interest in Gomez.

Gomez, who despite the Spanish sounding name – his father is Spanish but his mother German, has already broken into the German national side. The striker will be looking to make an impact this summer at Euro 2008 and if he does, no doubt his price tag will rocket.

Therefore Wenger will be keen to move quickly in order to get his man. If he does it may help quieten the first mutterings of discontent at the Emirates which have arisen following the departure of Matthieu Flamini to AC Milan and the continued speculation over the future of Alexandr Hleb.

Goal.com - Arsenal - Wenger Leading Gomez Chase?

[Oliver_Kahn]