Mainz have managed to work through their difficulties with problematic striker Nelson Weiper. As confirmed by Mainz sporting CEO Christian Heidel just prior to kickoff against Köln in Sunday’s Bundesliga opener, Weiper will be signing a contract extension with his hometown club. Heidel relayed the news both in a statement published on Mainz’s website and a pre-kickoff interview with German broadcaster DAZN.
“Nelly [Weiper] is and will remain a 05er,” Heidel’s club statement read. “We are very happy about that. There’s never been any question about his special connection to Mainz 05. In recent days, we’ve achieved a breakthrough in negotiations and will finalize this new contract shortly.“
“It’s rare for someone who comes through the youth ranks and then leave when things are just taking off,” Heidel further explained when speaking to DAZN. “We’ve not have that happen before.“
Mainz have opted to retain Weiper despite the fact that plenty of other attackers proved themselves capable of replacing the 20-year-old. FSV head coach Bo Henriksen – who has always maintained plenty of respect for Weiper – nevertheless expressed relief that he would once again be able to call upon the Germany U21 international during his pre-kickoff interview.
“This is good for us and the club as a whole,” Henriksen remarked. “We missed him because he is a good player. It’s part of the business. Everyone tries to get the best deal for themselves. The business of football thrives on compromise. We’ve now reached that compromise and I’m very happy about it. I have the felling that Nelly [back in the squad against Köln] is happy as well.“
GGFN | Peter Weis
