Midfielder Will Not Feature in Heidenheim's Last Match of 2024
Lennard Maloney has been left out of Heidenheim's final match of 2024 due to concerns over his focus, manager Frank Schmidt confirmed on Friday. The 25-year-old midfielder, who missed last week's match against Stuttgart with a head injury, was also absent for Thursday's 1-1 Europa Conference League draw with St. Gallen.
Schmidt made it clear that Maloney's omission wasn't injury-related, but rather due to the player's current mindset. "He's fit and has been training again. But I decided not to nominate him because he's not in the right shape to be able to fully focus on the sporting task at the moment," Schmidt explained during Friday's press conference. kicker.de
The decision comes amid growing speculation about Maloney's future, with his contract set to expire next summer. While Schmidt insisted the situation isn't directly related to contract negotiations, he acknowledged that "the situation of how things will continue in the winter plays a major role." kicker.de
Since joining from Borussia Dortmund II in 2022, Maloney has been a key figure for Heidenheim, helping the club achieve promotion to the Bundesliga and earning his first two USMNT caps in late 2023. Recent reports suggest the club would demand €3-4 million for a January transfer.
Jan Schöppner and Niklas Dorsch are expected to form the defensive midfield partnership for Sunday's match against last-placed VfL Bochum.
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