Stuttgart have paid a considerable loan fee to Hoffenheim for the signature of Leeds United target Steven Zuber.
Zuber was heavily linked with a move to Leeds in the winter window this month, but he eventually joined Stuttgart on loan until the end of the season on Wednesday, ending the Whites' signing hopes.
The midfielder was on Leeds’ radar, but the Yorkshire side may have been unwilling to go to the lengths Stuttgart were to land him.
According to German magazine Kicker, Stuttgart have agreed to a pay hefty loan fee of €600,000 to secure the signature of Zuber for just six months, with no purchase option included in the deal.
However, the Bundesliga club are still delighted to secure his signing and believe Zuber will be a key player for them in the latter half of the season.
Michael Reschke, Stuttgart’s sporting director, said: “We are very happy that we have managed to sign a player of Steven’s mentality.
“With his power and assertiveness, he will enrich our attack in the second half.
“We would like to thank Hoffenheim for a very cooperative dialogue during the negotiations.”
With Lewis Baker and Samu Saiz leaving Leeds in January, the club could be in the market for midfielders during the winter window.
But to sign Zuber they would have had to fork out a big fee just to be able to call upon him for six months.
