Deniz Undav named Stuttgart’s Player of the Season | OneFootball

Deniz Undav has been named Stuttgart’s Player of the Season after a prolific campaign that returned a career-best 19 Bundesliga goals.

According to BuLi News, the Germany international took eight of 10 votes in the outlet’s annual writers’ poll, with only Angelo Stiller also receiving votes. Undav had not earned a single vote last season when fellow striker Nick Woltemade topped the ballot.

Stuttgart ended the campaign with one win in their final five matches yet secured a return to the Champions League by finishing fourth. They were beaten in the DFB-Pokal final by FC Bayern, having lifted the trophy the previous season.

Undav extended his contract to 2029 before linking up with Germany’s World Cup squad. His 19-goal league haul was second only to Harry Kane’s 36.

After missing four matches with a knee injury, he opened his account on matchday eight with the winner against Mainz. He then struck six of Stuttgart’s eight goals in November, including his first hat-trick at the MHP Arena in a 3-3 draw with Borussia Dortmund.

All three goals that night came after the interval, capped by a 91st-minute equaliser. In the run-in he scored in six consecutive Bundesliga fixtures.

Remove penalties from the equation, which he has yet to take for Stuttgart, and the gap to Kane narrows to seven.

Stiller, also named in Julian Nagelsmann’s World Cup squad, collected the remaining two votes. The 25-year-old central midfielder featured in every Bundesliga match, starting all but four.

Source: BuLi News