1. FSV Mainz 05 have completed the signing of Alexandru Maxim from VfB Stuttgart.

The Romanian attacker signed a four-year deal with the club on Tuesday, and whilst the fee is officially undisclosed, it is reported to be around €3 million.

He is the club’s second signing of the week following the arrival of Kenan Kodro from CA Osasuna, also on a four-year contract.

Maxim keen to play a starring role

Maxim leaves Stuttgart after four-and-a-half years, and he played his part in the Reds’ immediate promotion back to the Bundesliga last season. He made 25 appearances in their 2. Bundesliga campaign, ten times from the bench, scoring five goals and creating seven others.

Overall the Romanian international played 131 times for Stuttgart, but he is now hoping to play a key role for Mainz, where he could be the long-term successor for Yunus Malli, who joined VfL Wolfsburg in January.

To that effect, sporting director Rouven Schröder described the 26-year-old as “a creative number 10 of high quality.” He highlighted his abilities on the ball and his ability from set-pieces, believing that those skills “will enhance our squad.”

There was a feeling that Maxim was unhappy at the way he was used at Stuttgart, and he that the “trust and a feeling of being needed to play a huge role” is why he decided to join die Nullfünfer. He is looking forward to the upcoming campaign and hopes it will be “a better season than was the case last year” for the club, when they narrowly escaped finishing inside the bottom three.

Kenan Kodro with Rouven Schröder. | Photo: 1. FSV Mainz 05.
Kenan Kodro with Rouven Schröder. | Photo: 1. FSV Mainz 05.

Mainz looking to Kodro for goals

After a quiet start to their summer business, Mainz now have three fresh faces, with Maxim following René Adler, who signed last week from Hamburger SV, and Kodro, who arrived from Spain on Monday.

The 23-year-old striker scored seven goals for Osasuna last season on their return to La Liga, although the ultimately went straight back down – that was still double the amount of goals he struck in the previous season. He also made his debut for Bosnia and Herzegovina in March.

Schröder said that he is “a special character” as well as “a team player” who is “a variable and complete striker.” He hopes that Kodro will continue his develop at the club after impressing in a difficult season for his club.

Kodro admitted that playing in the Bundesliga “has always been my aim,” with Mainz providing a perfect opportunity. He added that his international teammates had urged the moving, having “spoken exceptionally highly of this club.”

Quotes via 1. FSV Mainz 05.

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