Onisiwo leaves Mainz: Where is the urgently sought -after successor?

Onisiwo leaves Mainz: Where is the urgently sought -after successor?

Karim Onisiwo, the longest -serving player of the 1st FSV Mainz 05, left the club in winter. After nine years in which he played 233 competitive games for Mainz, the 32-year-old attacker immediately switched to RB Salzburg in Austria. There he receives a contract until 2026. Onisiwo emphasized his gratitude towards Mainz 05 and the fans as well as the helpful support of Christian Heidel and Martin Schmidt in recent years. At the same time, he sees the change as a sporting challenge and return to his home country. In the current season, the striker mostly had short missions in the Bundesliga and scored 35 goals for the Mainz, including 33 in 214 Bundesliga games, which makes him one of the club's record goal shooters.

The departures of players like Onisiwo are noticeable for Mainz 05. Sports director Niko Bungert has so far not found a successor for him, but is actively looking for reinforcement for the central midfield. In particular, the association shows secure interest in Lennard Maloney from 1. FC Heidenheim. Dominik Kohr, Danny da Costa and Nadiem Amiri, all three former Leverkuseners are also located in the Mainz squad. Amiri will be missing in the next game against Bayer Leverkusen due to a red card in the previous game against Frankfurt.

injury worries and critical game

The situation around the Mainz squad is also difficult by violating top performers such as Jonathan Burkardt and Paul Nebel. Their commitment in the upcoming game against the German champion Bayer Leverkusen is questionable. This could increase the challenge for the team in this important game.

The transfer market in the Bundesliga is open until February 3. During this time there could still be a few things about Mainz 05, the association should successfully find a successor for Onisiwo. Despite the departures, sports director Christian Heidel Onisiwo sees as a formative player of the past decade and thanks for his commitment.

Mainz 05 could be faced with a decisive phase due to the change and current uncertainties. Time is forced and the sporting leadership is required to make the right decisions for the future of the association.