Official: Cardiff pick up Mainz's El Ghazi on a free
After voluntarily terminating his contract with Bundesliga club FSV Mainz 05 yesterday, Dutch-Moroccan attacker Anwar El Ghazi has completed his rumored move to EFL Championship side Cardiff City F.C. What shall become of the 29-year-old's legal dispute with the German side remains to be seen. Mainz have filed an appeal against the judgement requiring them to pay €1.7 million in wages after releasing El Ghazi due to controversial social media posts last autumn.
In principle, the fact that El Ghazi cancelled his contract with the Nullfünfter should negate the wage claim. The ruling of the local German labor court nevertheless still stands until full legal clarification can be sought. Germany's Kicker Magazine reports that the Mainz legal team is currently assessing every possible outcome. Clarification could come soon.
El Ghazi officially moved to Cardiff on a free transfer. Should the wage claim be deemed valid despite this, the German club could seek full recompense from the Welsh side in order to pay the claim. Mainz can even counter-sue the player for filing a claim on a terminated contract. A more likely scenario will see the entire case scrapped on the basis that all parties involved wish to move on.