Stefan Posch returns to Bruchweg

Stefan Posch, who spent the second half of last season on loan from Italian Serie A club Como 1907, will continue to play for 1. FSV Mainz 05. The 29-year-old centre-back and Austria international has now joined the club on a permanent deal. Posch was used as a central defender during the second half of last season, but can also play out wide. Both clubs have agreed not to disclose the transfer details.

Sporting director Niko Bungert said: “Poschi joined us last winter in order to put himself in contention for the World Cup with Austria, and he helped us straight away. Stefan integrated extremely quickly and immediately made us better. He is a versatile player with a huge amount of experience in the Bundesliga and on the international stage. It is no coincidence that he has been a regular part of the Austria national team for several years. He showed several times over the past six months what he is capable of and how important he can be for Mainz 05. On top of that, he is an outstanding guy who fits perfectly into the team structure. We are delighted that Poschi wanted to remain a Mainz player and that we have now been able to make that happen.”

“Let’s get to work!”

Stefan Posch said: “Even though the sporting situation was difficult in the winter, I realised that Mainz 05 was a perfect fit for me. It just clicked straight away. I’m very happy that I can continue to be part of this team and I’m really looking forward to the new season. With the squad from last season, things already worked very well from the winter onwards, and now a few more lads with real quality have joined us. I simply feel comfortable here and I’m really up for the new season! But it is also clear that we won’t be given anything for free next year either, and that we will have to work hard to achieve our goals. Let’s get to work!”