Exclusive: USA Talent Cole Campbell Hands in Dortmund Transfer Request as Stuttgart and Others Eye Move

VfB Stuttgart are considering reigniting their interest in Cole Campbell in January, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.

The German club had agreed personal terms with the highly-rated winger in the summer, but Borussia Dortmund wanted double the €4million that Stuttgart offered.

Stuttgart had offered the talented teenager a five-year deal at the club, but an agreement over fees and clauses with Dortmund meant the move ultimately fell through.

Stuttgart went on to sign Tiago Tomas later in the window, but he was already a long-term target for the club alongside Campbell.

And our sources understand they are weighing up a slightly improved bid for the 19-year-old, who has been capped at USA U20 level.

Campbell has reportedly handed in a transfer request at Dortmund and wants to force through a move in January. 

It is understood Dortmund wanted to keep the player, but he wants to move away for his development after finding it difficult to break into the first team.

Our sources understand a number of European clubs are willing to rival Stuttgart for his signature.

Belgian outfits Club Brugge and Anderlecht are in the mix as well as Danish side Midtylland and German second-tier side SV Elversberg.

Our sources have been told a couple of unnamed Championship clubs have made enquiries, but the player prefers to stay in continental Europe at this stage of his career.

Struggling for Chances

Campbell’s father is former Iceland international Rakel Karvelsson and he was eligible to play for both USA and Iceland from birth.

His father drove him an hour each way to train at Atlanta United’s academy as a kid, whilst he trained with FH during holidays to Iceland. 

After featuring for Iceland's U17s, he switched allegiant to USA in 2024.

Campbell signed for Dortmund's youth system in 2022 and penned his first professional deal at the club last year.

But he has made just seven appearances off the bench for the club, with just one of those this season, and hasn’t featured since September.