No contract extension for Hamburg's Mahdavikia: German press

IRNA - German Bundesliga club Hamburger SV is not likely to offer a new contract to Mehdi Mahdavikia, news reports said Thursday.

The Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper voiced strong doubts whether the north German team will pursue serious efforts to extend Mahdavikia's contract which will expire in the summer of next year.

The bi-weekly kicker sports magazine echoed the sentiment of the Hamburg-based daily by saying that even top performances by Mahdavikia in the upcoming matches will not be enough to land a new deal, given his high salary and his recent woeful performances in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

Although the 29-year-old former Pirouzi striker who joined Hamburg in 2001 from VfL Bochum, has expressed interest in staying at the club, HSV officials appear in no rush for contract talks despite their recent signing of two key players, Guy Demel and David Jarolim.

Mahdavikia is reportedly earning 2.3 million euros a year.

A self-declared Bundesliga championship contender, HSV is currently ranked 13th in the 18-team German first football division.