Mainz 05 have loaned out eight players across Europe. While Jean-Philippe Mateta’s days at Crystal Palace seem numbered, others continue to develop
The Rheinhessen side are pocketing just under four million euros in loan fees for Mateta’s 18-month loan to the Premier League. At least if the Frenchman plays there that long, because his days are probably numbered. Under Roy Hodgson, who brought Mateta into his team in January, the striker played only sporadically, scoring 218 minutes and 1 goal in seven Premier League games. Under his successor Patrick Vieira, the 2021/22 record is even more meagre, with two goalless games and 61 minutes of play. No wonder Crystal Palace would like to get rid of Mateta. “He can leave the club,” Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel is quoted as saying in Bild. Of course, this is only possible in January and only with the agreement of the Rheinhessen, otherwise the loan deal will continue until June 2022. After that, the 24-year-old’s contract at Bruchweg will run for another year. However, he is unlikely to have a future there either, if only because Svensson prefers strikers who work backwards a lot.
Fernandes and Kilian in action at the competition
Better things than for Mateta are going well for Edimilson Fernandes at Bielefeld, where the Swiss had himself loaned out shortly before the transfer deadline. After initially missing out due to a flu infection, the 25-year-old is now getting regular playing time and has been on the pitch for 200 minutes in four games in the league. Bielefeld has a purchase option for next summer. Centre-back Luca Kilian (22) has been playing for 1. FC Köln since the end of August, where he has also made six Bundesliga appearances and played 384 minutes. The 2nd division is the sporting home of left-back Jonathan Meier (21), who played seven league games for Hansa Rostock and has 398 minutes of play.
Ronael Pierre-Gabriel (23), Dimitri Lavalee (24), Abass Issah (23) and Marlon Mustapha (20) have joined foreign clubs. Pierre-Gabriel has already been playing for Stade Brest since July 2020, where he played his 42nd competitive game last weekend. Centre-back Lavalee moved to Belgium in January to join K. Sint-Truidense VV, where he has just made his 26th competitive appearance under German coach Bernd Hollerbach. Issah has been playing for HNK Rijeka in the Croatian 1st Division since the summer of 2021, scoring six goals in 16 competitive matches. Mustapha, who comes from the Mainz NLZ, regularly plays for FC Admira Wacker and scored two goals in twelve games in the Austrian Bundesliga. All loan contracts end in July 2022.
