Borussia Mönchengladbach have stepped up their recent hunt for a striker with interest in Mainz’s Japanese international forward Shinji Okazaki.

Lucien Favre is said to covet a striker with similar qualities to current forward Max Kruse, regardless of whether Kruse leaves the club in the summer; hard-working, technically excellent and quick, Okazaki is certainly a player who would fit the bill.

Okazaki, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Thursday, has enjoyed two successful seasons with die Nullfünfer, scoring a total of 27 goals in 64 games since his move to Rheinland-Pfalz from Stuttgart in 2013. His current contract with Mainz runs until 2016.

Mainz reportedly rejected a bid of €12.5m from Leicester City in January, with sporting director Christian Heidel claiming that: “if they’d offered €15m or €20m, we’d have had to rethink."

Whether the price for Okazaki’s signature will remain as high in the summer will remain as high, in light of Okazaki’s contract situation, is unclear, but with clubs including Schalke and Premier League trio Arsenal, West Ham and Leicester (once again) said to be vying for his signature, Mainz could still make a tidy profit from a player they purchased for just €1.5m two years ago.

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About the author
Conor Garratt
Podcaster and writer with an interest in German football. Swindon fan. Student of German and History.