Official: Amiri transfers to Mainz
FSV Mainz 05 officially unveiled Nadiem Amiri as a new signing late Wednesday evening. The 27-year-old receives a fresh start with a long-term deal in the Pfalz.
Nadiem Amiri's move from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to FSV Mainz 05 is officially through. As reported by Leverkusen correspondent Stephan van Nocks of Germany's Kicker Magazine, the league-leaders have secured a transfer fee of approximately €1 million for the former German national team midfielder. Germany's red company team once paid €8 million to acquire from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Amiri garnered a toxic reputation within the club following a self-nixed transfer to Leeds United over the summer. Werkself trainer Xabi Alonso nevertheless insisted that the 27-year-old could still maintain a place in the squad and trusted him with a start last weekend against Gladbach. Amiri was deliberately left off Leverkusen's Europa League roster after the issues this summer.
Both Mainz's sporting management and the player himself did their best to convey a sense of a new beginning in statements accompanying the transaction. Amiri's new dealing the Pfälzer capital runs through the end of 2026. Head-coach Jan Siewert might make use of Amiri's attacking instincts in his tactical plans. Amiri has netted 19 Bundesliga tallies in 211 combined appearances for Leverkusen and Hoffenheim.
"We were looking for a creative, fast midfielder who could immediately help our attack - and we found a very good solution in Nadiem Amiri," FSV personnel executive Christian Heidel noted in a club statement, "With his experience from over 250 games in the Bundesliga, the Champions League, the Europa League and with the German national team, Nadiem will strengthen our team immensely in the fight to avoid relegation."
"I've known the club for a very long time and I'm convinced that the current position in the table doesn't reflect the quality of this team at all," Amiri himself said, "I had good talks with the Mainz 05 management from the very beginning, I can feel their trust and I have a huge desire to step it up. I'm really looking forward to the 05 fans, to my first home game on Saturday and I hope that I can contribute to starting my time here in Mainz with a home win."