Sturm Graz inquires with Mainz 05 about striker Nelson Weiper

Playing time and statistics

Mainz had handed the center-forward, born on March 17, 2005, a contract running until 2029 just under a year ago. In October 2025, he was still regarded as the most valuable German U21 center-forward with a market value of 15 million euros; in the latest Bundesliga market value update, he slipped to around 10 million euros and dropped to fourth place in the U21 rankings.

The fact that Sturm Graz has now taken notice of him is linked to the Graz side's recent squad planning. An earlier offer for Bosnian international striker Samed Bazdar of Real Zaragoza had fallen through, prompting the Austrians to refocus their search.

Statement from Mainz's sporting director

Mainz sporting director Niko Bungert had already at the end of May described a departure of Weiper as a possible option. Bungert said: "Nelli is grundsätzlich jemand, dem wir zutrauen, auch in der Bundesliga weiterhin eine gute Rolle zu spielen. Oder wie viel Sinn macht vielleicht eine Luftveränderung?"

Background to this assessment is also the additional competition in Mainz's attack: with Ransford Königsdörffer, another center-forward has been signed, which is likely to further diminish Weiper's prospects of more playing time under new head coach Urs Fischer.

Background: Squad planning at Sturm Graz

Sturm Graz is coached by Fabio Ingolitsch and has a squad of 30 players, most recently bolstered by the signing of Jeyland Mitchell. The Austrian top-flight club's total market value stands at around 49.23 million euros, according to the source.

A departure would, in observers' estimation, allow Weiper to take on a more prominent role as a center-forward. The 2023 winner of the Fritz Walter Medal in Gold is evidently seeking a sporting outlook with regular playing time.

If the talks progress positively, it would be the homegrown Mainz youth product's first move to a foreign league. The structures in Graz — Austrian vice-champion and with international ambitions — would offer a suitable environment for that.