Confirmed: Mainz pick up Maxim Leitsch as St. Juste replacement
By Peter Vice
FSV Mainz 05 confirmed the signing of Germany U21 international Maxim Leitsch from VfL Bochum on Friday afternoon.
| Photo: Mainz 05 |
he Rheinhessen of Germany's southern Palatinate have acted quickly to find a replacement for departed central defender Jeremiah St. Juste. On Friday it was confirmed that VfL Bochum's Maxim Leitsch will make the switch to the Nullfünfter. The 23-year-old signed on at the Bruchweg through 2025.
Transfer details were not disclosed, but German tabloid Sport Bild reports that the Mainzer took advantage of a release clause in the Germany U21 international's contract. The amount due to Bochum is apparently between €3 and €5 million. Leitsch's current estimated market value is €5 million in the latest transfermarkt listings.
"Max fits our profile perfectly," FSV head-coach Bo Svensson noted in a statement on the club's website, "He's fast, physically robust, and handles the ball well. He's an intelligent lad with enormous developmental potential. He's proven in the Bundesliga that he's tremendously talented."
"We committed to Max very early on in our squad planning," club sporting director Martin Schmidt added, "We're very pleased that we were able to obtain him. For Maxim, it's an emotional step to leave the familiar surroundings of his academy club and find his second sporting home here."
Leitsch himself thanked his hometown club for all the faith they placed in him and vowed to take with him all that he was graciously taught to the Pfälzer capital. Mainz likely still need to sign additional central defenders after Luca Kilian signed permanently with Köln and the ongoing exit links surrounding captain Moussa Niakhaté.
With respect to the attack, the Pfälzer actually pulled the trigger on two permanent purchase clauses this week. Danish striker Marcus Ingvartsen is now a stable member of the squad. Another one of Mainz's promised purchases, Dutch attacker Delano Burgzorg, was confirmed on the same day.
Willkommen, Maxim! 🔥💪
— 1. FSV Mainz 05 (@1FSVMainz05) May 20, 2022
Maxim Leitsch wechselt vom @VfLBochum1848eV an den Bruchweg. Wir freuen uns auf dich! 😍 #mainz05 pic.twitter.com/mGQA7xTVvy