Leonidas Stergiou, a Swiss defender who also holds Greek citizenship, has officially joined 1. FC Heidenheim on loan until the end of the season. The move was announced by the clubs on a Thursday. Previously, FC Augsburg was reportedly interested in the player. The agreement for the 23-year-old does not include a purchase option for Heidenheim. Stergiou has been capped six times for Switzerland and has made one Bundesliga appearance and four appearances in the 3. Liga this season. His contract with his parent club, VfB Stuttgart, is valid until 2028. He joined VfB Stuttgart in July 2024 for a reported fee of €2.0 million. His current market value is estimated by Transfermarkt to be €3.50m.