- Stuttgart have signed Germany striker Mario Gomez from Wolfsburg
- The 32-year-old has scored just once in 15 appearances this season
- He started his career at Stuttgart, before leaving for Bayern Munich in 2009
Germany forward Mario Gomez left Wolfsburg on Friday and returned to his former club Stuttgart, signing a contract until 2020 and eyeing next year’s World Cup.
The 32-year-old striker, who started his career at Stuttgart as a 16-year-old in 2001, winning the 2007 Bundesliga title, moved to Bayern Munich in 2009 for what was then a Bundesliga record fee of £31million.
He subsequently also played for Italy’s Fiorentina and Besiktas in Turkey.
Germany forward Mario Gomez has left Wolfsburg and returned to his former club Stuttgart
The forwad started his career at Stuttgart, before leaving for Bayern Munich in 2009
But his 2016 return to the Bundesliga and Wolfsburg was not as successful as he had hoped with the forward netting 19 goals in 52 matches in all competitions and the Wolves once more struggling in the bottom half of the league table this season.
Promoted Stuttgart are two points behind Wolfsburg in 14th place with the Bundesliga resuming on January 12 after a three-week winter break.
‘I am happy to have come home, where everything started for me,’ Gomez, who has won 71 caps for Germany, said in a club statement. ‘I know expectations will be high and it is a challenging situation.’
The 2011 Bundesliga top scorer is looking for more playing time as he looks to secure a spot on Germany’s World Cup team.
‘Now it is all about staying in the league, playing a good second round and for me personally reaching the World Cup.’
The 32-year-old hopes he can break into Germany’s World Cup squad in the summer