Heidenheim officially part company with Dovedan
The very first summer signing brought in to help Heidenheim compete in their inaugural top flight season will be parting company with the new German European representatives after just one season. Austrian attacker Nikola Dovedan's second stint with Frank Schmidt's Albogen team lasted just one year. The BaWü club - having made several other signings ahead of next year's campaign - announced that the 29-year-old's expiring contract will not be renewed on Saturday.
Dovedan made 21 top flight appearances for Heidenheim this year, netting three league goals and registering one assist. Dovedan scored in back-to-back matches against Leipzig and Darmstadt on match days 30 and 31. His late winner against Darmstadt in the latter case officially sealed the team that came up together with Heidenheim last year's relegation. Dovedan's first season in the German first division wasn't wholly unsuccessful, meaning there might potentially be some teams interested in picking him up on a free.
“We have informed Niko that we have decided to plan differently in terms of personnel in attack next season and will therefore not be making him an offer to extend his contract,” Heidenheim's CEO Holger Sanwald noted in a statement published on the club website, “Niko has always put himself at the service of the team in the past Bundesliga season and has also provided important impetus for us on the pitch. We would like to thank Niko for this and wish him all the very best for the future."