Sturm presented Valmir Matoshi on Monday as their preferred solution for midfield. The 23-year-old joins from FC Thun and, according to the club, has signed a long-term contract. Swiss media recently reported a fee of around €1 million and a four-year deal.
Matoshi arrives in Graz full of confidence. The Thun-born midfielder was part of the team that sensationally won the Swiss title last season immediately after promotion. He scored six goals and provided four assists in 34 league appearances. Overall, the academy graduate leaves his hometown club after 121 competitive matches, 18 goals and ten assists. After representing Switzerland at youth level, Matoshi recently opted to play for Kosovo and made his senior international debut in the spring.
High work rate and vertical play
His profile is particularly interesting. Matoshi is not a classic holding midfielder whose role is limited to screening the back line. The 184cm right-footer was used centrally and further forward for Thun, as well as in the half-spaces and on the flanks. He regularly looks to play forward, gets into shooting positions himself and combines attacking dynamism with a high work rate.
Managing director of sport Michael Parensen described him as Sturm’s “absolute first-choice solution” and particularly highlighted Matoshi’s running power, intensity without the ball and his “purposeful and vertical” play in possession. The new signing himself pointed to Sturm’s growing reputation in Europe and another season in the Europa League: “I can fully identify with this challenge.”
Following Ryan Fosso’s departure to Standard Liège, Sturm needed additional quality and dynamism in central midfield. Matoshi can fill several roles and therefore gives Fabio Ingolitsch more options to alter the structure of his midfield even during matches.
Malone experiment ends after just one year
At the same time, Maurice Malone’s spell in Graz is already over. The 26-year-old is joining Minnesota United and has signed a contract through the end of the 2029/30 MLS season, with an option for a further year.
In hindsight, the move to Sturm proved to be a clear mismatch. The Graz club had only signed Malone from FK Austria Wien in September 2025 for a reported €2 million. His career path had nevertheless suggested significant potential: developed at FC Augsburg, he gained valuable experience during loans at Wehen Wiesbaden, Heidenheim and WAC. After an unsuccessful season with FC Basel, he rediscovered his form at Austria, scoring 16 goals in 48 competitive appearances.
He never came close to reproducing those numbers in Graz. Four goals and three assists in around 40 competitive matches were not enough given the transfer fee and expectations. This season he had fallen completely out of Ingolitsch’s plans and had recently even been playing for Sturm II in Austria’s second tier. Parensen has now described the move as an “excellent solution for all parties”.
In Minnesota, Malone will be reunited with former Austria team-mate Dominik Fitz. The Viennese midfielder has also struggled to establish himself in MLS so far and currently plays only a peripheral role for the Loons.
Wlodarczyk could also be on the move
A late transfer remains possible for Szymon Wlodarczyk as well. Polish outlet “Meczyki.pl” recently reported that Sturm had offered the 23-year-old to several Ekstraklasa clubs. Korona Kielce and Widzew Łódź were specifically named, with Sturm reportedly asking for slightly more than €1 million.
Wlodarczyk joined from Górnik Zabrze in 2023 for more than €2 million and made a spectacular start, scoring seven times in his first eight competitive appearances. His form then deteriorated rapidly. Neither a loan spell at Salernitana nor one with Excelsior Rotterdam produced the hoped-for improvement.
The Pole was given another chance this summer because Ingolitsch wanted to assess him personally and Sturm were short of options up front. He has already scored twice in competitive matches this season, but over the longer term his lack of efficiency and versatility continues to count against him. A sale would also create further room for another attacking signing.
Kiteishvili remains a major absence
Sturm’s problems are not limited to arrivals and departures. Leon Grgić is still working towards his comeback after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in December. His rehabilitation is progressing according to plan and a return is getting closer, although no exact date has been set. Amady Camara, meanwhile, has been sidelined with a muscle injury since mid-July and is still unavailable. The Malian, who spent last season on loan at Nantes, also remains a possible departure.
Even more significant is the continued absence of Otar Kiteishvili. The Georgian is dealing with a persistent calf problem and recently suffered a setback during his return-to-fitness programme. Ingolitsch has therefore been unable to give a timeframe for his comeback. His importance is difficult to overstate: without the technically gifted attacking midfielder, Sturm lack creativity between the lines, press resistance and the individual quality required to decide tight matches. At times, the Graz side currently look a level below their best without Kiteishvili.
That is hardly surprising. Last season, the Georgian registered 19 goals and five assists in 41 competitive appearances and, during a period in which Sturm’s strikers struggled for consistency, even finished as the club’s leading scorer.
More business before deadline day?
Financially, there should still be some room to manoeuvre. Jeyland Mitchell’s sale to Racing Strasbourg alone reportedly brought in around €8 million. Malone’s departure should also ease the wage bill to some extent, even though Sturm’s expanded squad and European ambitions mean overall salary costs remain high.
Austria’s transfer window closes on Thursday, 3 September, at 17:00. Sturm therefore still have ten days to make targeted adjustments to the squad. Further movement appears particularly possible in attack – especially if a suitable buyer can be found for Wlodarczyk.
