Official: Mainz purchase Mwene from PSV
FSV Mainz 05 confirmed that they had re-acquired Austrian fullback Philipp Mwene from PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday afternoon.
As had been rumored since before the official start of the Bundesliga campaign, FSV Mainz 05 have brought back a familiar face in order to bolster the fullback position on their roster. Former Stuttgart, Kaiserslautern, and Mainz defender Philip Mwene is headed back to German football. Germany's Kicker Magazine reports that the Rheinhessen have paid PSV Eindhoven a transfer fee of €1.3 million for the player they allowed to depart on a free two years ago.
Mainz - heading into the season without a back-up for left-back Antony Caci - got of to a disastrous start to the season in Köpenick against German UCL representatives 1. FC Union Berlin. The administrative tandem of Christian Heidel and Martin Schmidt have been hard at work bolstering the roster in this final week before the transfer deadline closes. Germany U21 international Marco Richter was acquired to help the attack yesterday. Mwene can play on both flanks as a fullback and has experience higher up on the right.
"With Phillipp Mwene, we are gaining a player for us who we know well and who fits us excellently both athletically and as a person," FSV trainer Bo Svensson noted in a the club statement. "You don't have to explain Phillipp to Mainz 05 - he fully identifies with the way of playing here and doesn't need any time to get used to it. With his variability and his footballing qualities, but also with his personality, he will strengthen our team optimally."
Mwene himself - who made a total of 30 competitive appearances with the Pfälzer - remarked that returning to Mainz felt like "coming home". The now 29-year-old did enjoy some success in the Erdevisie, three goals and three assists in 78 appearances for PSV and one assist in 17 Europa League appearances.
The Austrian signed a three-year-deal with FSV.