Danny da Costa

At 32, Danny da Costa brings valuable experience to a Mainz 05 side navigating the choppy waters of the Bundesliga's lower mid-table. Sitting 14th with mixed recent form — three wins sandwiched between two defeats — the Nullfünfer are fighting to establish consistency, and da Costa's defensive know-how has been quietly crucial. Partnering with Stefan Posch at the heart of the backline, the German centre-back provides the kind of steely presence that struggling sides desperately need. While his €1.2m market value reflects the twilight of his career, his value to Mainz transcends numbers — he's the calming influence in a backline that has shown flashes of resilience during their recent three-game winning surge. With Robin Zentner behind him and attacking threats like Silas and Sheraldo Becker further up the pitch, da Costa remains the unspectacular but essential anchor in Mainz's battle for stability.