Official | Mainz sign former Aston Villa forward Anwar El Ghazi | OneFootball

Mainz have announced the signing of free agent Anwar El Ghazi on a two-year deal.

The 28-year-old has most recently been plying his trade in the Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven, where he scored ten goals and provided three assists in 32 appearances for the Dutch side. El Ghazi has been drafted in as a replacement for the injured Nelson Weiper, who has successfully undergone knee surgery and will be unavailable for the foreseeable future.

“We had to react to the current injury situation in the squad and solved this optimally by signing Anwar El Ghazi. Not only does he have a lot of international experience, but he also comes from a season with many games and a complete summer preparation. We already thought about him in the summer, but he was still subject to transfer at the time.” commented Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel.

Head coach Bo Svensson would also remark: “With the transfer of Anwar, we had the opportunity to strengthen our offence with a player who already has an impressive career. With his one-on-one skills, his pace and his desire to get the ball “He will be good for us. We are pleased that Anwar has come to us.”

“I’m happy to have found a great team in Mainz 05. The conversations with those responsible were very positive and warm-hearted, I immediately felt that they trusted me, which is very important for a player. Also with Phillipp Mwene, I spoke to someone I know well from Eindhoven and he also highly recommended Mainz 05 to me. As a type of player, I am someone who likes to create dangerous situations by winning the ball and taking the shortest route to the goal. Now I want to offer the 05ers with goals and assists to help us win games and have a successful season,” remarked El Ghazi.

The two time Dutch international can also boast experience in the Premier League, as well as the Eredivisie. El Ghazi has featured for both Aston Villa and Everton in England’s top flight, and by signing a player with such quality Mainz will hope to avoid a potential relegation battle this season.

GGFN | Will Shopland