Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 7y

Hoffenheim's Eduardo Vargas could leave in window - Nagelsmann

Eduardo Vargas could leave Hoffenheim in the January window, coach Julian Nagelsmann has said.

Vargas, 27, joined Hoffenheim from Napoli for around €5.5 million in 2015, but has failed to make his mark at the Bundesliga club.

The Chile international forward has featured in only 29 league games, starting 16, and made just five starts since Nagelsmann ws appointed last February.

Hoffenheim allowed Vargas to participate in the China Cup to generate interest in him, and Nagelsmann told reporters: "He will return next week.

"There is no news to report. We don't know how things stand. He might leave, he might stay.

"If he makes a move, things have to fit for both sides. There are talks."

German football magazine kicker reported that Flamengo and Galatasaray are among the clubs interested in Vargas, with Hoffenheim seeking more than €10m for him.

Vargas will not be part of the squad as Hoffenheim travel to Augsburg looking to maintain their record as the only undefeated side in European football's five top leagues.

Their record of six wins and 10 draws has sparked interest in Nagelsmann, 29, with former Germany international Lothar Matthaus writing in Sport Bild that he could imagine the coach working at Bayern Munich in future.

But Hoffenheim sporting director Alexander Rosen told Bild: "Julian's smart enough to know that he will only have been in the Bundesliga for a year in February.

"That's a damn short time, even though he is doing an extraordinary job and has surprised. Even a big coaching talent like Julian is allowed to gather more experience before joining really big club." 

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