“It doesn’t change his importance to us.”

Speaking to Thomas Hiete of Germany’s preeminent footballing publication, chief VfL Wolfsburg personnel executive Marcel Schäfer has commented on Joshua Guilavogui’s move to FSV Mainz 05.

When it was finally confirmed that club legend Joshua Guilavogui would depart VfL Wolfsburg on an expiring deal this past spring, the Frenchman did state that he wished to continue his career outside of Germany. When speaking to the Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung, the 33-year-old claimed that he had no desire to compete against the club he once captained.

“For me, the only thing that is certain is that I will continue my career abroad,” Guilavogui said at the time, “I can’t stay in the Bundesliga, I don’t want to have to fight against VfL. As much as this club has given me, no other club will be able to give me again.”

Circumstances have obviously changed. The defensive midfielder/center-back will end up competing against Wolfsburg twice this season as a newly signed member of FSV Mainz 05. Reached for comment on this about-face by Thomas Hiete of Germany’s Kicker Magazine, Wolfsburg CEO Marcel Schäfer insisted that he still held his former player in the highest regard.

“Personally, I’m happy that he’s continuing his career,” Schäfer told Hiete, “We still hold him in the highest regard even if he’s competing against us. We Wolfsburgers have to forgive him. It doesn’t change anything about his importance for our club.”

Schäfer – who actually shared the pitch with Guilavogui during his playing days – had tried in vain to get his former teammate to extend his expiring contact. The pair played together between 2014 and 2016.

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