Leo Sauer completes move from Feyenoord to VfB Stuttgart

‘I am incredibly grateful to Feyenoord,’ said Sauer. ‘Grateful for the faith the club showed in me from a very young age and for the people here who helped me develop in every possible way. From the Feyenoord Academy to the first team, I have seen how special this club is and have been able to lay the foundations here for what will hopefully be a great career in Europe. That is something I will carry with me forever. I wore this shirt with pride and above all hope that the supporters, who have always made me feel so appreciated, will understand and support this step. Hopefully our paths will cross again, perhaps even in the Champions League next season.’

Sauer arrived in Rotterdam in the summer of 2022 as a 16-year-old talent. The then Slovakia youth international initially joined on loan from MŠK Žilina in his homeland, but his strong development with Feyenoord U21 saw the move made permanent on the 3rd of April 2023. That summer, he was also invited to train regularly with the squad of then head coach Arne Slot.

On the 20th of August that year, Sauer made a dream debut for Feyenoord’s first team. Coming on as a substitute away to Sparta Rotterdam, he rescued a point in stoppage time by scoring the equaliser to make it 2-2. The pacey winger was permanently promoted to the first-team squad shortly afterwards. He went on to make his UEFA Champions League debut against Celtic, was rewarded for his development with a contract extension in March 2024 and lifted the KNVB Beker at the end of the 2023-2024 season, in which he made 15 appearances.

To take the next step in his development, Sauer joined NAC Breda on loan for the 2024-2025 season. There, he quickly established himself as a regular starter and became one of the Eredivisie’s standout young players. Sauer returned to Feyenoord in the summer of 2025 with 32 top-flight appearances under his belt and was seen as the successor to Igor Paixão following his departure. In September last year, he made a major impression with the Slovakia national team in Germany, the country of his new club. The winger made 29 appearances for Feyenoord in the season in which Champions League football was ultimately secured.

Sauer made a total of 44 official appearances for Feyenoord, scoring six goals and providing the same number of assists.

Feyenoord wish Sauer every success with VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga.