The bitter legal dispute between Anwar El Ghazi and Mainz has escalated after it emerged the Bundesliga side want financial damages from the former Aston Villa star to pay for a new striker.
El Ghazi and Mainz are locked in a legal feud after the German side terminated the Holland international’s contract after he made pro-Palestine social media posts as the Israeli/Hamas conflict erupted.
There has been a major debate in Germany about freedom of speech with regards to El Ghazi’s situation.
The 28-year-old attacker is suing Mainz - but the club have made a counter claim against their former player.
A conciliatory legal tribunal was held last week, but didn’t result in a resolution meaning a final hearing will be held in June.
And Mail Sport understands part of Mainz’s legal argument, in their position as the defendant, states that El Ghazi should pay damages so the club can finance the signing of a new forward as his replacement.
Even though it was Mainz who initiated the sacking, the club are claiming that because they signed El Ghazi in September 2023 on a two year contract, their inability to use the forward has created a sporting challenge.
Mainz claim they are entitled to financial damages as a result.
In supporting their claim, Mainz have cited the fact they are in a relegation battle as a reason why they will look to sign a new forward this month to improve their chances of staying up.
With that in mind Mainz are seeking damages from El Ghazi to help towards the expense of any transfer related outgoings this month.
Mainz are also asking for the vast majority of his €400,000 signing on fee be returned and one month’s wages be paid in the way of a fine for El Ghazi’s controversial posts. El Ghazi’s deal is believed to be worth in the region of €50,000-per-week.
Mainz declined to comment when contacted by Mail Sport.
Over the weekend, El Ghazi clashed with Piers Morgan on social media over his contract termination.
The disagreement erupted after El Ghazi responded to Morgan’s apparent anger at the news that South Africa had ‘relieved’ their Jewish cricket captain David Teeter from his role at the Under-19 World Cup over security concerns amid pro-Israel comments the youngster is reported to have made.
Morgan reacted angrily to the announcement, with the broadcaster posting: 'Have they sacked him because he's Jewish? This is shameful moral cowardice by Cricket South Africa.’
El Ghazi responded to Morgan's post and questioned where the Talk TV host's outrage was following his contract termination at Mainz.
Across a series of posts on X, El Ghazi wrote: 'Hey Piers. Good to see you calling out moral cowardice on matters relating to the Israel and Gaza conflict.
'I must have missed your post in outrage at the time I was sacked by a German club for standing up against the killing of innocent children and refusing to accept Israel is beyond accountability.
'Or does my religion, like that of the children of Gaza, mean I, like the lives of those children, don’t matter?’
Morgan then responded: 'Hey Anwar. I must have missed your post in outrage at whaT Hamas did on October 7?
'You were sacked because you refused to recant your endorsement of the genocidal mantra “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” which Hamas uses to promote the eradication of Israel’.
In a final response, El Ghazi then said: 'Hey Piers … as a “journalist” I expected your research skills to be a little better.
'Firstly, the reason for my dismissal wasn’t the ‘From the river to the sea’ post (which fyi the Germans courts recently ruled isn’t illegal nor do Hamas ‘own’ the phrase it was actually first used by the Israeli Likud party in 1977).
‘Secondly, you must have again missed my post making clear I was against the killing of ALL innocent civilians and against Islamophobia and anti-semitism. Unlike some, financial compensation doesn’t dictate to whom I show humanity.
'My compassion isn’t sold to the highest bidder. There is little point continuing this debate. The world can see this exchange and the obvious hypocrisy for what it is. Peace'.