Only center forward number 5?
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In October 2025, Mainz homegrown Nelson Weiper was Germany’s most valuable U21 center forward with a market value of 15 million euros. After a season with zero Bundesliga goals in 24 appearances, he was overtaken in terms of market value by Ilyas Ansah (Union Berlin | 12 million), Nicolò Tresoldi (Bruges | 13 million) and Dzenan Pejcinovic (Wolfsburg | 15 million). As part of the latest market value update in the Bundesliga, Weiper went from 10 million to 7 million euros. At FSV, the winner of the Fritz Walter Gold Medal from 2023 is threatened with even less playing time in the coming season.
“We are examining all options to see what makes the most sense,” consultant Alexander Schütt from ASBW Sport Marketing is quoted as saying in “Kicker”. Weiper, who extended his contract until 2029 at the end of August 2025 following a short suspension, scored two goals in 34 appearances across all competitions in 2025/26. After fellow striker Benedict Hollerbach was injured at the end of January, Weiper’s playing minutes even decreased because FSV brought in veteran Sheraldo Becker, who was given priority in the center of the attack.
In 2026/27, in addition to Becker, there will also be Phillip Tietz, who became the leading player after his winter transfer, Hollerbach and Silas, who was also used in the attack center by coach Urs Fischer until his injury. However, Hollerbach (torn Achilles tendon) and Silas (broken tibia and fibula) are not yet expected at the start of the season. “When planning, we have to take into account the fact that these two may not be there in the first few months. If we usually plan with 22 players in the squad, we will certainly start this season with 23 or 24,” sports director Christian Heidel was quoted by the “Bild” newspaper.
Either way: a rather unsatisfactory situation for Weiper, who has been waiting for a goal in the Bundesliga since April 5, 2025, while Tresoldi scored 23 goals for Brugge – three of them in the Champions League – in 58 games. Pejcinovic was Wolfsburg’s top scorer with twelve goals in 34 games, and Ansah was involved in eight goals in 33 games in his first Bundesliga season.
Mainz sporting director Niko Bungert said: “Nelli is fundamentally someone who we trust to continue to play a good role in the Bundesliga. We now have to discuss how we can best continue on this path. Of course we also have to look at the situation, how much sense does that make for us? Or how much sense does a change in air perhaps make?” Weiper’s shape and market value curve speaks for itself. It is rare for a 21-year-old striker to receive three devaluations in a row and see his market value more than halve within seven months.
