Mainz updates: Club plans new season with Lavaleé and Mustapha, Heidel addresses da Costa rumors
Of the seven FSV Mainz 05 players currently out on loan, it appears that the Pfälzer will aim to welcome back only two who have made significant progress with their loan clubs.
Meanwhile, club sporting CEO Christian Heidel has addressed rumors that the Nullfünfter are considering giving Frankfurt winger Danny da Costa another shot.
When Christian Heidel and Martin Schmidt returned to FSV Mainz 05 last winter, perhaps the most competent aspect of their administrative leadership (beyond hiring Bo Svensson to coach the team) involved parking most of the club's emerging talent in loan locales. While the Rheinhessen don't have as many players out on loan this year, signs that a pair of moves have worked wonders are apparent.
Meanwhile, club sporting CEO Christian Heidel has addressed rumors that the Nullfünfter are considering giving Frankfurt winger Danny da Costa another shot.
Belgian center-halve Dimitri Lavalée has made 29 appearances this year with Sint-Truidense VV in his native country. According to correspondent Michael Eberty of German footballing magazine Kicker, the club has sent its scouts out to see how the left-footer is developing and are exceedingly impressed.
The 25-year-old now plays in defensive midfield as well. A return to the Pfälzer should give trainer Bo Svensson excellent options in the traditional CB, anchoring defensive midfielder, and sweeper-lock roles. Extra defensive options can also give the club an opportunity to cash in on squad captain Moussa Niakhaté (contract expires in 2023) and unflinchingly complete the €2 million Luca Kilian sale to Mainz.
Lavalee has an offensive counterpart who has also made great strides on loan. Twenty-year-old striker Marlon Mustapha has scored four goals for Admira Wacker in the Austrian Bundesliga. Mainz extended their contract with the native Austrian through 2024 and he could prove a long-term asset for the club.
Plans for Lavaleé, Mustapha, and Kilian thus appear set. As for the club's other four loan outs, winger Issah Abass (HNK Rijeka) and defender Jonathan Meier (Hansa Rostock) haven't been able to get much practice at their respective locales.
Edimilson Fernandes' disappointing spell at Bielefeld led to a recall and second loan. Ebert also reports that Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel status at Stade Brest 29 points to the club selling the French defender to the Ligue 1 club outright. There seems to be little chance of the club wanting to take another chance on the 23-year-old.
When it comes to the FSV's most pressing need in terms of additions, extra help is needed at the wingback role. Daniel Broskinki's expiring contract leaves the club in need of a back-up for Silvan Widmer. Rumors have been swirling in recent days that the club may pick up Danny da Costa on a free.
Speaking tio Germany's main sporting tabloid, Heidel denied that there had been any contact with the player. The sporting CEO's comments would nevertheless seem to suggest that he and Schmidt remain very interesting in bringing their former loan player from last spring back into the fold.
"Danny's tight relationship with us is well known," Heidel said, "He comes to most all of our home games. As of now, I wouldn't categorically rule out his return."
"We will start the new season with two players at that [Widmer's] position," he continued, "At the moment, those players are Widmer and Brosinski. We are still planning and Danny id definitely an option."