Maloney changes to Mainz 05: Is he the next key player?

Maloney changes to Mainz 05: Is he the next key player?

The change from Lennard Maloney from 1. FC Heidenheim to FSV Mainz 05 caused a sensation in the football community. Both clubs already announced the agreement on Tuesday. Maloney signed a contract that binds him to Mainz by 2028. Before that, his contract with Heidenheim would have expired in the summer of 2025.

in his time at 1st FC Heidenheim, where he had been playing since July 2022, Maloney made a significant contribution to promotion to the Bundesliga in the 2022/23 season. Nevertheless, in the current season he only came to eleven missions in the first Bundesliga after he had previously been on the pitch 29 times. In the past few months, however, he has been excluded from the starting eleven, which favored his wish for a change.

Lennard Maloney: a "mentality player"

Maloney himself describes himself as a "worker" and not as "the most filigree". Sports director Niko Bungert emphasizes the properties of newcomers: Maloney is considered a mentality player with a high willingness to run as well as header and duel strength. According to Bungert, he is a perfect addition to the team and could play a crucial role in the defensive midfield, where he could form a strong double six together with Nadiem Amiri and Kaishu Sano.

trainer Bo Henriksen already sees Maloney as a potential starter in the upcoming match against VfB Stuttgart. In his first training session at Mainz, Maloney already gave instructions to his new teammates, which indicates his self -confident appearance. Despite this positive development, however, he is reluctant to see his chances of being in the initial formation.

The step in a new direction

The move to Mainz 05 is a significant step in his career for Maloney. With regard to his previous club, he expressed gratitude, respected the decision of coach Frank Schmidt not to rely on him anymore, and estimates the services he performed in Heidenheim during his time.

Holger Sanwald, the CEO of Heidenheim, also thanked Maloney and confirmed an economically sensible transfer fee for the change. This closes a chapter for Maloney, which is now willing to fully exploit its potential in Mainz and target new goals.