Top clubs chasing VfB Stuttgart's star player have been left disappointed. Noah Darvich is reportedly set for a surprise move

Werder Bremen, former youth club SC Freiburg, VfL Wolfsburg and Hertha BSC have all been linked with the 19-year-old, who has yet to make his competitive debut for VfB's Bundesliga side.

Elversberg's future league status is a plus compared to the newly relegated Wolfsburg and Hertha, while the Saarland club's lower-pressure environment also trumps those of Werder and Freiburg. At SVE, who missed promotion in 2025 but have now sensationally jumped into the top flight a year later, Darvich could continue to develop "in a calm environment", writes kicker.

Darvich attracted attention from several Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga clubs last season by delivering consistently strong performances for VfB's reserve side in the 3. Liga. The 2023 world and European champion with Germany's U17s, who can operate in attacking midfield—both centrally as a number 10 and out on the wings—scored ten goals and provided six assists. Darvich can also be deployed as a number 8.

Despite his progress and praise from first-team manager Sebastian Hoeneß, Darvich has yet to earn a senior debut; he was named in the Bundesliga squad only once, for matchday two at the end of August 2025.

"Noah would be ready; he's made really good progress recently," Hoeness told Bild at the end of February, speaking of the midfield gem. After signing Darvich last summer, the initial plan had been for him to "make a difference" in the third-division team. He is now starting to do just that and showing that he is ready. I'm very pleased with his development. He has a lot to offer, which qualifies him for higher-level roles. He needs to continue exactly along this path," said Hoeneß.

VfB are likely to plan with Darvich long term, as his contract runs until 2029. A loan move to Elversberg now appears imminent. The German Under-21 international knows that the Saarland club has recently established itself as an ideal springboard for young talents who have not yet had a chance at bigger clubs.

Fisnik Asllani, Paul Wanner and Nick Woltemade are the most prominent examples; David Mokwa could be next. The 22-year-old striker joined SVE in winter as the successor to Younes Ebnoutalib, whom the club had signed from the Regionalliga and sold to Eintracht Frankfurt a year later. Blocked from the Bundesliga squad at TSG Hoffenheim, Mokwa seized his chance in Elversberg, netting six goals in the second half of the 2. Bundesliga season—including a brace in the 3-0 finale against Preußen Münster that secured promotion.

Darvich, who captained his side to both the U17 World Cup and European Championship, has already added another notable chapter to his young career. In summer 2023, at 16, he left SC Freiburg to join FC Barcelona.

He hoped to use the reserve team at a leading international club to make the leap to the top, but returned to Germany after two years.

"Barcelona was a great adventure. It was like something out of a film. I got to play and train alongside my childhood idols," Darvich said after joining VfB. He often trained with the first team alongside stars such as Pedri and Raphinha, and even appeared in a few friendlies. Yet, during his two seasons at Barca, his day-to-day work remained with the B team in Spain's third tier, where he eventually lost his place in the starting XI.

Last summer, Stuttgart paid a transfer fee of one million euros to Barcelona for Darvich. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth said at the time: "Thanks to his young age, we see huge development potential and are convinced that Noah will enjoy a very positive career in the VfB shirt." After a planned loan spell with Elversberg, Darvich could finally come into his own at VfB during the 2027/28 season.