 He made his professional debut with the same team in the newly established 3.Liga on 2 August 2008 against Union Berlin.During the summer of 2008, he also signed a contract with VfB Stuttgart's first team, for which he made his competitive debut in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on 10 August 2008 in their 5–0 away victory over Hansa Lüneburg.