Mainz 05 Secures Striker Phillip Tietz from FC Augsburg

FSV Mainz 05 has officially completed the signing of striker Phillip Tietz from FC Augsburg. According to Kicker, the transfer was finalized for a fee of €4 million, with an additional €750,000 contingent on performance bonuses. This transfer has been anticipated for some time, as Mainz had shown significant interest in Tietz, while Augsburg was eager to offload the player.

As the current last-placed team in the Bundesliga, Mainz is in urgent need of offensive support, having scored only 13 goals across 15 matches. Conversely, Augsburg has been searching for a classic center forward. However, Tietz has struggled to find the back of the net, recording just one goal in ten Bundesliga appearances this season.

Since joining Augsburg from Darmstadt in the summer of 2023, Tietz has totaled 16 goals in 78 Bundesliga matches. At his peak, he was valued at €5 million.

Last season, Tietz delivered solid statistics, netting seven goals and providing three assists in 34 league appearances for Augsburg. Notably, five of those goals were scored in the first 13 matchdays, but he faced a goal drought for three months, failing to score in 13 consecutive rounds.

Although he managed to score a decisive goal against Wolfsburg on matchday 26, his only other goal came in the season finale, which had no impact on the standings.

This year, both Tietz and fellow center forward Samuel Essende found themselves sidelined in former head coach Sandro Wagner’s tactical setup. Neither player has secured consistent playing time to develop a rhythm. Nevertheless, Mainz values Tietz highly enough to pay above his estimated market value of €3.5 million.

“Phillip Tietz is exactly the reinforcement we were looking for in attack,” stated Mainz sporting director Nico Bungert in a club announcement. “He is an experienced center forward, adept in one-on-one situations. With his height of 1.90 meters (6 ft 3 in), strength, and physical presence, he can create goal-scoring opportunities. We are thrilled to have signed him.”

Augsburg’s sporting director, Benni Weber, remarked, “Phillip sought a new sporting perspective. After several discussions with him, we have reached a mutually beneficial agreement with Mainz 05.”

In his own statement, Tietz expressed enthusiasm for joining Mainz, stating, “I am eagerly looking forward to this opportunity and hope to help the club move out of the lower ranks of the table swiftly. The discussions with the management were outstanding. I feel that the club aligns well with my character, and my family, especially my wife from the region, is excited about Mainz.”