Official | Mainz sign trio to contract extensions | OneFootball

Mainz’s sensational Bundesliga season has translated to contract extensions for three players. Pivotal defensive specialist Dominik Kohr, Danny da Costa, and third-choice keeper Daniel Batz all inked new deals. Both Kohr and da Costa have thrived at the club since joining on loan in 2021 from Mainz’s Rhein-Main neighbors Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021 before signing the duo permanently.

For German football watchers, Da Costa’s unexpected success as a central defender this year constitutes a very interesting story. The former German youth international spent his entire career playing as a wingback before FSV head coach Bo Henriksen gave him a surprise audition in his back-three on matchday seven.

Da Costa did not deliver a solid performance on that day and remained unused on the bench the following two matchdays. Henriksen nevertheless gave him another chance against Dortmund and the one-time Bayer Leverkusen prodigy recorded an assist in the 3-1 upset win. Da Costa has made 17 consecutive starts at centre-back since.

Many thought Da Costa’s career was over after a string of poor performances last season led to him earning zero starts after Henriksen took over the team in February 2024.

The 28-year-old garnered a reputation for making horrible defensive errors from his wingback position. His triumph at the very back counts as most unexpected.

“Danny has developed further in recent months, both athletically and in a new position,” Mainz sporting director Nico Bungert noted in a club statement. “The fact that he has overcome a difficult phase and emerged from it stronger is a testament to his character. Danny has shown what you can achieve if you stick with it, don’t let yourself get down even after disappointments, and open up new perspectives for yourself.”

Bungert’s statement on Kohr skillfully avoided the fact that the 31-year-old continues to break booking records with his uncompromisingly hard style of tackling play. The Mainz sporting director nevertheless paid subtle homage to Kohr’s ten yellow cards this season. Kohr finds himself suspended for the third time this weekend against Hoffenheim after drawing a straight red against Freiburg last week.

“With his passion and fighting spirit, Dominik is a guy who fully embodies Mainz 05,” Bungert said of Kohr. “With his speed, physicality and game intelligence, he is an excellent central defender. As a person, Dominik is someone who is well liked off the pitch and leads the way on it. He is currently in a really good phase, possibly the best of his career.“

GGFN | Peter Weis