VfB Stuttgart are navigating a difficult start to the season, sitting 15th in the Bundesliga table with three points from four games. The pressure is building ahead of a trip to Paderborn on October 10, and the club's immediate league form will likely shape major decisions in the months ahead.

Off the pitch, the bigger story is a looming squad upheaval. As reported by kicker, Stuttgart face a near-unavoidable overhaul after this season, with eight players including Angelo Stiller, Chris Führich, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Ermedin Demirovic all contracted until 2028. The club's wage bill has risen from 105 million to 163 million euros over three years, making simultaneous renewals financially unworkable. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth has signalled that contract talks with most of those players will not begin before January, with the club watching performances closely first. Only young defender Ramon Hendriks is being fast-tracked toward renewal talks.

In the transfer market, Stuttgart's summer signing Dzenan Pejcinovic has struggled to build on a promising DFB-Pokal debut. The 21-year-old, who cost 25 million euros from Wolfsburg, has gone without a league goal since arriving and told kicker he accepted his omission from Jürgen Klopp's Germany squad as motivation to raise his level. He also confirmed a split from his agent after the transfer, with his father now handling his affairs.

With two major fixtures approaching, including a Champions League home game against Atletico Madrid on October 20, Stuttgart need results to stabilise both their season and their planning.