Mainz join the race to sign Union Berlin’s Benedict Hollerbach | OneFootball

Sky Germany currently reports that 2025/26 Bundesliga Europa League representative Mainz 05 have entered the race for Union Berlin striker Benedict Hollerbach. Union’s leading goal scorer in the recently completed league campaign has also been linked with a move to Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Mainz may soon find themselves in need of a new lead striker should German international Jonathan Burkardt switch to a different Bundesliga side. Burkardt’s 18 league goals this season won’t be so easily replaced. It is such that Mainz may be willing to spend upwards of €7.5m to acquire Hollerbach.

Hollerbach himself is known to wish to leave Köpenick in order to enhance his German national team prospects. Union will nevertheless do their utmost to keep him due to the dire situation in their own attacking ranks.

Hollerbach’s nine league goals for die Eisernen this season also cannot be so easily replaced. Other FCU strikers Kevin Volland, Jordan, Yorbe Vertessen, Marin Ljubicic, Ivan Prtajin, and Tim Skarke were only able to manage two goals among themselves last year.

Croatian striker Andrej Ilic found the back of the net seven times, but was returned to his parent club of Lille OSC. There are whispers that Union are still hoping to retain his services ahead of next year. Union have signed a new striker in the form of Werder Bremen’s Oliver Burke and have also purchased versatile attacker Woo-Yeong Jeong from Stuttgart.

It has already been confirmed this summer that Union are not interested in giving Ivorian striker Chris Bedia another chance in an FCU tricot next year. This was confirmed by FCU managing director Horst Heldt at a media round ten days ago.

Bedia – who switched loan clubs in the January transfer window –  will remain with Young Boys Bern on a new loan throughout the 2025/26 season. The 29-year-old enjoyed some success in Switzerland this past spring. To date, he’s only scored one goal for Union in seven Bundesliga appearances.

GGFN | Peter Weis