VfB Stuttgart poised to sign Tim van der Leij

VfB Stuttgart are stepping up efforts to sign RKC Waalwijk centre-forward Tim van der Leij, Sky and Voetbal International report. Sky says concrete talks are already underway and that the Swabians would only have to pay a base fee of one million euros, with performance-related bonuses possible; van der Leij's contract at Waalwijk runs until 2028.

To ease his transition from the Dutch second tier to a top Bundesliga club and Champions League participant, he will likely join the reserves initially and is expected to spend a season developing in the third division before joining Sebastian Hoeneß's first team in his second year.

Voetbal International claims the transfer will be completed within three to five days. Waalwijk have prepared for the sale and are poised to replace van der Leij with Jesse van de Haar, a centre-forward at FC Utrecht who spent last season on loan at Belgian second-division side SK Beveren.

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