Lennard Maloney, a US national player, has moved from Heidenheim to Mainz 05. Although initially scheduled for the summer, the transfer was completed ahead of time, which Maloney found very pleasing. His contract with Heidenheim was not renewed, resulting in limited playtime as he was no longer in favor with the coach, Frank Schmidt. Maloney expressed his enthusiasm about continuing his career at Mainz 05, with the goal of earning a spot on the team despite tough competition in the midfield. He also expressed his ambition to be part of the US national team for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the USA.

FSV Mainz 05 is reportedly close to securing Lennard Maloney on a free transfer. Sources from 'Sky' indicate that the 25-year-old has a contract ready for signing, which would be valid until 2028, with the possibility of joining in the summer or even in the winter. Mainz is in the process of preparing an offer to bring the US-American player to the club in January. During the weekend, Heidenheim's CEO, Holger Sanwald, mentioned that there is currently no offer, but expressed the club's openness to discussions. Maloney has been absent from Heidenheim's plans for several weeks, and it was reported that coach Frank Schmidt had criticized the midfielder publicly, leading to his exclusion from the team.

According to German journalist Florian Plettenberg, clubs from the Bundesliga are showing serious interest in Leonard Maloney, alongside PAOK and Birmingham.