He is also hoping for a clash with Germany at the World Cup. VfB Stuttgart’s multi-million-euro signing still has something to prove

Hoeneß stressed that Woltemade’s departure was “a bitter loss” shortly before the transfer window closed, adding: “Last summer, we set ourselves a few goals we wanted to achieve. And I must say quite clearly that, even before Nick was transferred, we had not quite managed to implement these things.” Two and three days later, respectively, Badredina Bouanani and Bilal El Khannouss were signed to bolster the attack. 

Neither, as has since become clear, provided the direct like-for-like replacement for the national striker. While El Khannouss has proven an astute addition and was recently signed permanently, Bouanani is still falling well short of expectations. Recognising that neither profile offered a pure goalscorer, VfB pursued Hyeon-gyu Oh from KRC Genk, only for the South Korean to fail his medical on deadline day.

Four months on, the Swabians sat sixth in the Bundesliga and were progressing in the cups, yet the lack of a proven goalscorer still worried the board. As a result, VfB activated a €7m release clause to sign Jeremy Arevalo from Spanish second-tier side Racing Santander. However, the 21-year-old has yet to prove he is an immediate upgrade. 

Since then, he has managed just 30 minutes of playing time across six Bundesliga matches, picking up a single assist against FC St. Pauli. Arevalo provided a strong reminder of the potential this pacey dribbler possesses during his first—and so far only—appearance for the reserves in the 3. Liga. In the 3-1 win over SV Waldhof Mannheim, he scored one goal and set up another. Beyond that outing, however, little has gone according to plan. All parties had anticipated more from the transfer. 

Before facing St. Pauli, he was left out of the Bundesliga matchday squad four times, a spell that also saw him drop down to the second team. He was also omitted from the club’s Europa League squad. “We can only put a limited number of players on the list. The others are currently a step ahead,” Hoeneß explained his decision at the time in February. “Jeremy comes from a different league, a different culture. We had naturally hoped things would go a bit faster. Nevertheless, we knew that such a situation could arise.”

Was the move to the ambitious Bundesliga too early for Arevalo? Not necessarily. As Hoeneß had predicted in the summer, the options up front were limited at the time of the transfer, as evidenced by the 0-0 draw with TSG Hoffenheim shortly before the short winter break. Despite a glaring lack of cutting edge in the final third, the VfB coach made only two substitutions—and just one in attack, bringing on Chris Führich for Tiago Tomas. Like Bouanani, Tomas had already been pressed into service up front; both are more effective when operating from deeper positions. 

Bilal El Khannouss was away with Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Ermedin Demirović—who had netted five goals since early October after an impressive start to the campaign in Deniz Undav’s absence—was sidelined by a complex foot injury. His recovery took longer than expected, delaying his return until the Bundesliga restart in early January. That sequence of events effectively cleared the path for Arevalo to make his debut. 

Shortly after his move, an enthusiastic Arevalo stated his objectives: “I want to settle in quickly, keep developing and help the team succeed together.” His personal verdict on the first few months on the Neckar is likely to be disappointing. Above all, he needs one thing: patience. 

The club’s hierarchy has factored this into their planning, with Wohlgemuth stressing, “We still see a lot of potential in Jeremy, which we want to develop together with him.” The long-term contract, running until 2031, underlines that faith, yet the forward will eventually need to justify the investment. Spanish-speaking teammates such as Chema Andres are helping him settle in Swabia, following instructions from Hoeneß to ease his integration—just as they were helped themselves back when they arrived. 

So far, however, his integration has mainly meant watching from the sidelines; he was again a spectator against BVB last weekend. “Jeremy is still settling in; that takes time,” explained Wohlgemuth after the forward failed to make the squad for the first time against Gladbach at the end of January, before adding optimistically: “He will certainly get his chances.”

With only four cameos adding up to six minutes since, that forecast has yet to materialise. The coming weeks before the summer break will show whether Arevalo can justify the club’s investment and emerge as a late bloomer—provided he gets the opportunity. The three-time Ecuador international is also chasing a World Cup spot, which could pit him against some of his club teammates; Ecuador is drawn in the same group as Germany. 

Nevertheless, his prospects remain intact: during the recent international break, coach Sebastian Beccacece gave him two late cameos, suggesting patience and faith in his potential. 

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