Karim Onisiwo: Return to Salzburg with 32 years and great expectations

Karim Onisiwo: Return to Salzburg with 32 years and great expectations

The Bundesliga Transfer window has a surprise: Karim Onisiwo changes from Mainz 05 to Red Bull Salzburg after nine years. This decision comes after an early dissolution of his contract that runs until 2026, so Mainz cannot request a transfer fee. Onisiwo, which is considered the best scorer in the club's history of Mainz, ended his time there with impressive 35 goals and 32 templates in a total of 233 games. Mainz Sports director Christian Heidel paid tribute to his role as a wearing figure and "never-time driver" of the team, thanks for the years together and wishes him all the best for the future, like the Transfer market reported.

A change that not only shapes the club's history, but also marks a break with the previous transfer policy of Salzburg. The new sports director Rouven Schröder breaks with the tradition of signing players over the age of 25 - reminiscent of the rule introduced by Ralf Rangnick 13 years ago. Onisiwo, now 32 years old, faces the challenge of leaving his mixed form in the Bundesliga. This season he did not meet for Mainz in just 197 minutes, which is a difficult situation for him personally. Nevertheless, he will wear the number nine for Salzburg from Monday, a position that could be decisive this year to lead the team from the current sporting misery, as it OE24 emphasized.

With the return to domestic realms, Onisiwo hopes to reorient itself both personally and in terms of sport, after all, the injury -related failure of Karim Konaté is a sign that Salzburg urgently needs a strong attack player. His brand of two goals over a complete season in the Austrian Bundesliga with Mattersburg could now be the basis for a positive turn. Salzburg will have to deal with the pressure of the past less and can instead rely on the potential of an experienced player to decisively influence the current season.