Kicker: Augsburg declined Stuttgart’s €22 million offer for Claude-Maurice

Claude Alexis-Maurice stays at FC Augsburg after his club rejected a huge offer from Stuttgart.

Alexis Claude-Maurice had a stunning debut season at FC Augsburg. Including an unforgettable hat-trick away in Gladbach, the former OGC Nice and RC Lens attacking midfielder scored nine Bundesliga goals to help the perennial relegation candidates avoid the drop comfortably.

Accordingly, Augsburg had to block suitors to include him in their ambitious project under Sandro Wagner. Kicker now report that Stuttgart offered €22 million to sign him once they sold Nick Woltemade to Newcastle United. Despite getting the player as a free agent last year, Augsburg decided to decline the offer.

The previous sales of Mergim Berisha and Ermedin Demirovic put Augsburg on the right path financially. They actually recorded a negative net spend this summer. On the deadline day alone, they’ve added two more attacking reinforcements in Ismaël Gharbi and Fabian Rieder.

In addition to keeping Claude-Maurice, Steve Mounié remains at the club after his move to Angers collapsed. Claude-Maurice is yet to play this season after picking up an injury in a preseason friendly against Crystal Palace.