Bungert denies exit clause for Burkardt

For months, there was speculation about an exit clause for Jonathan Burkardt. After Matchday 34, Mainz sporting director Niko Bungert issued a clear denial. However, this leaves his future just as unclear as that of Nadiem Amiri and Moritz Jenz.

"We're in charge of all personnel matters and can decide what happens and what doesn't," Bungert emphasized after the 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen . This comes as a particular surprise in the case of Jonathan Burkardt , as there was repeated talk that the 24-year-old had an exit clause in his contract, which runs until 2027. "No," Bungert reiterated.

With 18 goals this season and three assists, international Burkardt is the best German striker and accordingly sought after. The same applies to his colleague in Mainz and on the German national team, Nadiem Amiri , who has 14 points. His contract even runs until 2028. "I'm going on vacation now. And then we'll see what happens next," the 28-year-old says, not wanting to commit to anything yet.

Of the entire squad, only one contract is expiring: Moritz Jenz 's loan agreement with VfL Wolfsburg ends on June 30. Last August, Mainz also secured a purchase option for around seven million euros. Bungert didn't confirm this figure, but said: "We could only have afforded that if it had ended up being a Champions League spot."

"We didn't have the depth in our squad to perform at the highest level throughout the entire season; perhaps the Champions League would have been too big for us," Amiri stated. Reaching the Conference League is a major achievement for Mainz. In the week following the first round of the DFB Cup, Mainz must successfully complete the first leg of the playoffs and the second leg a week later to advance to the league phase, which includes six more matches until December.