ESPN reveals why ‘world-class distributor’ is the favourite to join Man Utd in January

Manchester United might attempt to bolster their midfield ranks in January, and Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller could be their most plausible target.The 24-year-old started his career in Bayern Munich’s youth ranks, but was released in 2021 when he outgrew the academy levels.Nevertheless, the midfielder went on to make a name for himself at Hoffenheim before being acquired by his current club, Stuttgart, in the summer of 2023.Angelo Stiller joins EPL trio on Man Utd midfield shortlistThe Munich native is now considered one of the finest deep-lying playmakers in the country, and has already earned five senior caps with the German national team. He has been hailed as a ‘world-class distributor thanks to his seamless ability to progress the ball. Angelo Stiller played 9.49 progressive passes p90 in the Bundesliga last season, putting him in the top 3% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues. World class distributor. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/76ANIcRwjU — Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 21, 2025In recent months, Stiller has emerged as a target for Man Utd, even though the Premier League trio of Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba are believed to be at the top of the shortlist.Nevertheless, ESPN journalist Mark Ogden believes that if United were to acquire a new midfielder in January, then the Stuttgart star would be their best bet.Stiller is United’s most affordable midfield target(Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)As the source explains, MUFC are planning a midfield revamp in 2026, but instead of waiting till the summer, they might kickstart it in January, at least if they manage to cash in on some of their redundant players next month.But even if they end up selling one or two players among the likes of Joshua Zirzkee and Tyrell Malacia, it probably won’t be enough to buy Anderson, Wharton or Baleba, as some of them are valued north of £100 million by their clubs.On the other hand, as Ogden points out, the figures they raise could prove sufficient to land them Stiller, whose asking price is reportedly €50 million (circa £44m). Stiller’s stats per club Appearances Goals Assists Stuttgart 101 6 23 Hoffenheim 52 4 3 Bayern Munich II 50 1 8 Bayern Munich 3 0 0 If INEOS decide to sanction a pursuit for the German international, then we can only hope that it stems from Amorim’s admiration towards him, rather than him being a stop-gap until the summer when the club will be able to chase more desired targets.