Anwar El Ghazi hasn’t played a competitive football match since October, when he was suspended by Mainz 05 after making pro-Palestinian comments on social media.
The player has always stood by his comments, with an insistence he’s committed to peace for all, and his dispute with the German club continues on a legal basis.
Soon enough, the 28-year-old will be actively looking for a new club, and he’s made it clear he fancies a return to Aston Villa or Ajax.
The two sides are the clubs he played most for in the summer and if Unai Emery picks up the phone on behalf of Aston Villa, or the Dutch club get in touch, then they’ll find someone very receptive.
Speaking to Ajax Showtime, and covered by SoccerNews, El Ghazi said about Aston Villa and Ajax: “Maybe in the future. I am always open to these clubs. They will always remain in my heart and I would always enjoy a position within the club. If I can help, I’m certainly open to it.”
Ajax may be an easier bet for El Ghazi right now, with them not having the best season, as Aston Villa battle for a place in the Champions League.
At 28, El Ghazi still has a lot of football left to give so nothing can be fully ruled out.
On October 17th, the Bundesliga club released the following statement: ‘1. FSV Mainz 05 releases Anwar El Ghazi from training and games. The exemption is a response to a now-deleted social media post by the 28-year-old on Sunday evening. In this, El Ghazi had taken a position on the conflict in the Middle East that was intolerable for the club. The release was preceded by a detailed discussion between the board and the player.
‘Mainz 05 respects that there are different perspectives on the complex Middle East conflict that has been going on for decades. However, the club clearly distances itself from the content of the post as it does not reflect the values of our club.’
