‘Not So Fast!’ — Angelo Stiller Responds to Luke Littler’s Man United Appeal
Darts champion’s transfer plea gets a diplomatic reply from Stuttgart midfielder
STUTTGART, Germany – Darts world champion Luke Littler has made no secret of his desire to see Angelo Stiller at Manchester United, but the VfB Stuttgart midfielder has responded with a measured “not so fast” to the teenage sensation’s public recruitment drive.
The 19-year-old darts phenomenon, a self-described “huge Manchester United fan,” sent social media into a frenzy last month when he named Stiller as his “favorite German football player” in a DAZN interview. Littler didn’t stop there—he issued a direct appeal to the Stuttgart star.
“Come to United! We need help,” Littler said, pointing to the impending departure of veteran midfielder Casemiro. “Casemiro is leaving us.”
The clip quickly went viral, racking up millions of views and even earning a “like” from Stiller himself on social media.
Now, the 26 year-old German international has finally broken his silence on the matter—and his response suggests a move to Old Trafford is far from imminent.
‘It’s Part of the Business’
In an exclusive interview with the Bundesliga, Stiller addressed Littler’s comments with a mixture of appreciation and caution.
“That is great,” Stiller said with a smile when told of Littler’s praise. “Because he is also my favorite darts player. He is currently the best in the world, and when he says something like that, it is always nice. I have been to Ally Pally. I really like darts, so it is great to hear something like that.”
But when the conversation turned to Littler’s transfer plea, Stiller’s tone shifted.
“It’s part of the business that rumors arise, and things are said,” he explained. “You should not deal with it too much, and just do your own thing.”
The Stuttgart midfielder, who has been capped by Germany, made clear where his priorities lie.
“What is important is what the club thinks, what the coach thinks, and what my teammates think,” Stiller said. “That is the only thing that matters to me now.”
Lessons Learned
Stiller, who came through Bayern Munich’s youth system, admitted that handling public attention hasn’t always come easily.
“When you are more in focus, more things can hit you and affect you,” he reflected. “At the beginning of my career, it affected me more. Now I have learned that it should not really matter to me.”
The midfielder also took a subtle swipe at the social media noise surrounding such transfer speculation.
“Everyone can form an opinion and say what they think,” Stiller observed. “Everyone can act like an internet warrior, but you should not listen to that. It does not affect me personally.”
The United Interest: Real or Imagined?
Littler’s plea may have been enthusiastic, but reports suggest Manchester United’s actual interest in Stiller has cooled—at least for now.
According to BILD, United explored a move for Stiller last summer, only to be turned down. The midfielder reportedly prioritized remaining a guaranteed starter at Stuttgart to boost his chances of making Germany’s 2026 World Cup squad.
Somewhat ironically, that decision may have backfired—Stiller only earned his latest Germany call-up as an injury replacement for Bayern’s Aleksandar Pavlović.
More notably, FootballTransfers reports that no club—including United—has registered formal interest in Stiller for the upcoming summer window. “The situation is currently remarkably quiet,” the outlet noted.
What’s Next?
Stiller remains under contract with Stuttgart, who won the DFB-Pokal last season, and has a reported release clause of around €40 million ($46 million).
For now, the midfielder appears content to let his performances do the talking.
“Because of social media, Instagram, Twitter, and everything else, everyone can form an opinion,” Stiller said. “But you should not listen to that.”
As for Littler? The darts champion may need to keep waiting—or find another favorite player to recruit.
