After a lengthy layoff with an injury, Mainz have announced that striker Jonathan Burkardt has extended his contract at the club until 2027.
On his extension, Burkardt said: “I am very grateful to those responsible for Mainz 05 and also to the fans for the trust, support and also the patience that I experienced during the difficult time of the injury break for me. Now that I am fit again and can look forward positively, the right time is for my contract extension, I wanted to wait for this moment. I will be 05ER for ten years next summer, I am very happy in my club and am eager to make my contribution that we will turn into the positive together this season in the second half.”
The 23-year-old’s original contract was set to expire in the summer and due to his 11-month absence after knee surgery, it would have made very little sense for him to try and test himself when it comes to free agency in the summer as he has not been able to prove himself as of late.
Burkardt’s aim is likely to try and break back into the Mainz starting 11 and help them escape relegation. The 23-year-old will have to compete with Ludvoic Ajorque for the starting striker position while the supporting position will also be competed with Jae-Sung Lee, Karim Onisiwo, Marco Richter and Brajan Gruda. Before his injury, Burkardt could have been one of the people to solve Germany’s striker problem as he played a role in their Euro under-21 win in 2021 but like a handful of players on that team, they have yet to reach their full potential.
Mainz are currently 16th in the Bundesliga and ended the year on a decent run that saw them only lose two games in their last seven before the break aginst Freiburg and Heidenheim. Under Jan Siewert, they have beaten RB Leipzig whilst also drawing with Borussia Dortmund.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
