Ermedin Demirovic nears injury comeback for VfB Stuttgart

The Stuttgart forward had not played since October but has now returned to team training and believed the worst was behind him.

"I feel good," Demirovic said in an interview with Sport Bild. "If it still aches, it's more in my head than in my foot."

The 27-year-old explained that his target had always been to rejoin full training before the end of 2025, a goal he has now achieved.

"Not far," he said when asked about a possible comeback. "My goal was always to be back in team training before the end of 2025 so I could finish the year as a fit player. I've managed that, so January and the new year can come."

Demirovic also revealed that stepping away from matches earlier in the season was a crucial decision that helped him avoid a much longer absence.

"If I had continued playing, the bone might have fully broken," he said. "Then I would have needed surgery and probably been out for six months. This way, I was able to take a more conservative approach."

Stuttgart are due to resume their Bundesliga campaign away to Bayer Leverkusen on January 10, with Demirovic now pushing to be available for selection.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international joined Stuttgart from FC Augsburg in July 2024. He signed a four-year contract that runs until June 30, 2028, and remains an important part of Stuttgart's attacking plans as they begin the second half of the season.