Phillipp Mwene returns

The Zerofivers have shored up their defence with a familiar face, as Phillipp Mwene returns to 1. FSV Mainz 05. The Austrian international, who swapped Mainz for PSV Eindhoven two years ago, has signed a contract at the Bruchweg until 2026. Mwene played 73 games in all competitions for PSV, scoring five goals and assisting two. Of those 73, eight came in Champions League qualifying, 13 in the Europa League, and one in the Conference League. The 29-year-old also won the KNVB Cup twice and the Johann Cruyff Shield three times during his time in Eindhoven.

“In Phillipp Mwene we’ve brought in a player that we know well and who is a terrific fit for us as an athlete and a personality. As a result of this, we’ve had to be patient, as we’ve been pursuing this move for a long time. We don’t need to explain who we are at Mainz to Phillipp – he can fully relate to the style of play here and won’t need time to adjust. He’ll improve us not only because of his versatility and his quality as a player, but also because he’s a good lad,” said Mainz board member for sport Christian Heidel.

Looking forward to Sunday!

“Quality and mentality”

Head coach Bo Svensson said, “We’ve fought long and hard to bring Phillipp back. In this respect we’re happy that the deal is done now and that he’s finally returning to the Bruchweg. Obviously, we know one another from the period after the winter break in 2020/21, when he was one of our go-to players. Phillipp knows Mainz 05 and knows the way we play, so he can immediately hit the ground running. He’s a very good player technically, who can play on both the left and the right wing. He has a lot of quality and the right mentality.”

Mwene: “It feels like coming back home”

“It feels like I’m coming back home. The club gave me an amazing welcome and I’m looking forward to playing for the Mainz fans in the Bundesliga again and competing as part of a great team. I kept up with Mainz the whole time and the club’s come along leaps and bounds over the past couple of years, and there’s no sign of it slowing down anytime soon. It’s nice that we can take the next step together,” said Mwene.