Deniz Undav: Stuttgart’s Rising Star in Attack
Deniz Undav, who grew up in Achim, began his football journey with TSV Achim before joining the youth department of Werder Bremen. However, after five years, he was released due to concerns about his height. Undav joined SC Weyhe and subsequently began his professional career at 15 with TSV Havelse in Regionalliga Nord, the fourth tier of German football.
During his time with TSV Havelse, he impressively scored 37 goals in 72 games. He later played for Eintracht Braunschweig II, followed by SV Meppen, netting 24 goals in 72 games for them. In April 2020, it was announced that Undav would leave 3. Liga club SV Meppen at the end of the 2019–20 season.
With his contract running out, he secured his first significant career move by joining Belgian First Division B side Union Saint-Gilloise. This move marked a turning point, as Undav played a crucial role in the club’s resurgence. Union Saint-Gilloise, once a fallen giant of Belgian football, was revitalized through strategic recruitment, solid infrastructure, and excellent coaching.
“Deniz has been instrumental in our resurgence. His ability to find the net consistently and his versatility on the field make him a standout player. He’s not just a striker; he’s a playmaker and a leader,” said Felice Mazzu, Undav’s coach at Union Saint-Gilloise.
Undav became a hero at Union, steering the club back to the Belgian Pro League for the first time since 1973. They finished top of the league in the 2020-21 season but narrowly missed out in the play-off Championship Group. Despite this, the achievement was monumental for a club that had been languishing in the second division for decades. Undav’s contributions were pivotal, with 26 goals and 12 assists that season.
In the 2021-22 season, under coach Felice Mazzu, Undav’s versatile playing style significantly impacted Union Saint-Gilloise’s performance in the Belgian Pro League. His strategic positioning allowed him to contribute both offensively and defensively.
He frequently dropped into midfield to facilitate build-up play, tallying an impressive 12 assists. His hold-up play, intelligence, and clinical finishing were key attributes, leading to 26 goals in 39 First Division games. Undav’s off-the-ball movement and positioning often put him in advantageous positions to capitalize on scoring chances.
His multifaceted skill set made him a vital asset in Mazzu’s tactical setup, ensuring his consistent presence on the team sheet and contributing significantly to Union’s success. He finished the season as the league’s top goalscorer and was named Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year.
“Undav is a complete forward. His ability to score a variety of goals, coupled with his intelligence and positioning, makes him a threat to any defense. He’s got a bright future ahead of him,” remarked Michael Owen, former England international and football pundit.
Deniz Undav signed for Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2022 from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, returning to the Belgian outfit for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign. In his first Premier League season, after not finding the back of the net in his first 14 Premier League appearances — of which he started once — the German had an excellent end to the season, scoring five goals in eight games, including a brace in Brighton’s record 6-0 win over Wolves, as well as an excellent lob in a 3-0 victory at Arsenal.
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“Undav’s adaptation to the Premier League has been impressive. Despite a slow start, his determination and poaching instincts shone through in the latter part of the season. He’s a player who never stops learning and improving,” stated Graham Potter, Brighton & Hove Albion’s manager at the time.
He finished his first season with Albion scoring eight goals in all competitions, which he netted in just 921 minutes of action. He was a poacher at Brighton, always in the right place at the right time. He had a good variety of finishes during his time: lob over the keeper, moving to one side of the defender and slotting the ball into the corner, making a direct run into the middle and keeping his composure. He never missed out on any goalkeeper errors.
Brighton then decided to send him on loan to VfB Stuttgart. It was a great recruitment on Stuttgart’s part. Undav started the Bundesliga season as a substitute. On Matchday 6, he came on as a substitute in the 62nd minute against Köln with the game still goalless.
He scored his debut goal by calmly slotting the ball into the net after halting his run in the box to meet Chris Führich’s cut-back from the right wing. Stuttgart then launched a swift counter, Serhou Guirassy broke free but hit the post, and Undav was there to put it in and announce his arrival.
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Another notable performance of his came on matchday 12 against Frankfurt. Stuttgart started the game strong with good wing play, finding Millot in the center, who then played a through ball for Undav to slide into the goal in the second minute of the game. Frankfurt came back into the game with an own goal. Undav scored a comfortable header from a cross by Maximilian Mittelstädt to win the game.
Undav had nine performances in the season where he had 2 or more goal contributions. The 5-2 win against Leipzig was classic. Enzo Millot opened proceedings by scoring a penalty. Undav, from just outside the box, slotted the ball into the left corner to double the lead.
Benjamin Šeško got one back from a corner, whilst Jamie Lewelling made it 3-1. Loïs Openda scored a screamer from outside the defense to make it 3-2. Undav then headed a cross from the middle of the box to make it 4-2 and finished the game by scoring from the rebound of the keeper’s save to win the game and get his first hat-trick for the club.
Undav was a key piece in Stuttgart’s puzzle. “Deniz brought a new dimension to our attack. His ability to hold up the ball, create chances, and score in crucial moments was vital for us. His partnership with Guirassy was particularly effective, and his work rate is commendable,” commented Sebastian Hoeneß, VfB Stuttgart’s coach.
He had the ability to play cheeky passes in and around the box to find Guirassy in space. Undav’s ability to drop down, hold the ball, and create opened up space for his teammates. He created 40 chances throughout the season, completed 27 dribbles, and took 1200 touches, which shows the volume of his involvement.
Undav also contributed defensively, recovering the ball 71 times and winning it 24 times in the final third. His ability to playmake and create added to his finishing skill makes him a complete footballer.
“Playing with Deniz is fantastic. His vision and ability to create space make it easier for us attackers. He’s a player who you can always rely on to make something happen,” said Florian Wirtz, teammate at Bayer Leverkusen.
His performances have gotten him his first international call-up, where he’ll represent Germany in the Euros. Having replaced İlkay Gündoğan for the final 10 minutes of Germany’s 2-0 win vs. Hungary, Undav could have a key role to play under Julian Nagelsmann as Die Mannschaft look to achieve the Euros title on home soil.
By: @TSpec1al
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Sebastian El-Saqqa – firo sportphoto / Getty Images