When I look at freshman Ludovic Azorke, I think of Cho Kyu-seong.
On the 25th (Korean time), Mainz officially announced on the club website, “We signed a contract with Azorke. The 196cm striker showed good performance in Ligue 1, France. The contract period is three and a half years. His shirt number is 17.” did. The transfer fee was reported to be 6 million euros.
Azorke has been a regular striker for Strasbourg, consistently scoring goals. He scored a career high in the 2020-21 season, scoring 16 goals in 35 league games. In his last season, he scored 12 goals and added 8 assists. He has only played 13 matches this season, but he is clearly a capable striker.
It is necessary to look at the recruitment background. Mainz scored only 20 goals in 16 German Bundesliga games, and the team’s scoring ranking is 15th out of 18 teams. Although it was located in the mid-level, it was essential to reinforce scoring power in order to see a higher place without going down to the bottom. Another reason was that Marcus Ingvartsen and Karim Onisiwer did not improve their scoring ability. 토토사이트
Before signing Azorke, Mainz wanted Cho Kyu-sung. Cho Kyu-seong, the K-League 1 scorer last season, was consistently selected for the Korean national team and was also on the final list for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He used to be Hwang’s backup team, but rose to become the main player in the slump of Hwang’s team. He came on as a substitute against Uruguay and started against Ghana and scored two goals. He also showed impressive performances against Portugal and Brazil. It proved his competitiveness on the world stage.
He showed interest in Cho Kyu-sung, but failed to reach an agreement with Jeonbuk Hyundai. Mainz turned to Azorke. Director Bo Svensson greeted Azorke and explained his characteristics, which were quite similar to Cho Kyu-sung. Manager Svensson said, “Azorke has good physicality and is very dangerous in the air. He is very focused in the box. He also handles the ball well.”
Except for the introduction of Azorke, it is safe to view it as an explanation of the characteristics of Kyu-Sung Cho. As mentioned by Svensson, Mainz wanted a typical striker with solid physicality, control of the air and a threat inside the box. Cho Kyu-seong, who clearly met the conditions Mainz wanted, remained with Jeonbuk.
Director Christian Heidel said: “Azorke is the type of striker we have been looking for. We have been working hard for him for several weeks. Thank you to Strasbourg and we are delighted to have him in our team.” Azorke said, “The Mainz play style suits me perfectly. I have a friend named Anthony Cassie. In the past, when we played together, our breathing was good, but I will try to match well in Mainz.”