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On Tuesday afternoon, 1. FSV Mainz 05 signed Ludovic Ajorque from Racing Club de Strasbourg. The attacker then trained with his teammates for the first time that evening ahead of the home game against Borussia Dortmund this Wednesday (today, 18:30 CET). Head coach Bo Svensson left it open as to whether the Frenchmen could already be an option for the clash with BVB, suggesting that he would decide that together with the player.
Played with Caci in Strasbourg
In a total of 135 games in the French top flight, Ajorque has scored 46 goals and provided 17 assists. The 28-year-old came through the youth system at Angers SCO, being loaned out several times before joining Clermont Foot in 2016, before then moving to Strasbourg in 2018. He played there with Anthony Caci for many years, with the two having played in 98 games together prior to Ajorque’s move to Mainz. Now, further games together will follow. “I have kept a close eye on the Zerofivers ever since my teammate Anthony Caci moved here. He’s a good friend of mine and has helped set up many goals for me in the past – we want to continue doing that in the Bundesliga,” said Mainz’s new number 17. “The style of play at Mainz 05 suits me well, as do the club’s values,” continued the Frenchmen, who was born in Saint-Joseph on the French overseas Département of Réunion.
A player that will help make us better.
The striker had been sought after for several weeks, “because he is the perfect fit for what our head coach was looking for,” explained sporting SOMEONE Christian Heidel. Svensson seemed even more pleased in his press conference on Tuesday, describing the Frenchmen as “not a player that we’re signing just for the sake of it. He will help make us better.”
The Mainz head coach sees in Ajorque a player with “a lot of power”, who is “a target man in build up and a threat in the box with his good aerial game.” Svensson also suggested he would be able to lend himself to Mainz’s physicality and at the same time be someone who works well out of possession. He has already proved this in Strasbourg. “We are pleased that he will be able to bring these strengths to our game in the future,” said the Mainz coach.
Build on the last few years
Although he has only scored once in the 13 games in the current season, he had 20 goal contributions in 36 league games in the 2021/22 season. It was not just the qualities that he has shown over the last few seasons that convinced Mainz of the ability of their new signing. “There are not many players that have been involved in that many goals in the French top division,” said Svensson.
The striker had been sought after for several weeks, “because he is the perfect fit for what our head coach was looking for,” explained sporting SOMEONE Christian Heidel. Svensson seemed even more pleased in his press conference on Tuesday, describing the Frenchmen as “not a player that we’re signing just for the sake of it. He will help make us better.”
The Mainz head coach sees in Ajorque a player with “a lot of power”, who is “a target man in build up and a threat in the box with his good aerial game.” Svensson also suggested he would be able to lend himself to Mainz’s physicality and at the same time be someone who works well out of possession. He has already proved this in Strasbourg. “We are pleased that he will be able to bring these strengths to our game in the future,” said the Mainz coach.
Build on the last few years
Although he has only scored once in the 13 games in the current season, he had 20 goal contributions in 36 league games in the 2021/22 season. It was not just the qualities that he has shown over the last few seasons that convinced Mainz of the ability of their new signing. “There are not many players that have been involved in that many goals in the French top division,” said Svensson.
