Rot-Weiss Essen and Dominik Martinovic: after a good eight months, this relationship seems to be coming to an end. A competitor has now spoken out about the alleged interest.

Rot-Weiss Essen wants to strengthen its attack. To do so, it would of course be advantageous if a striker were to leave.

And this is where Dominik Martinovic comes into play. Most recently, before the match against SV Wehen Wiesbaden (4:3), the 28-year-old had to stop training due to back problems. It is not known when Martinovic will return to action. According to sources close to the player, he no longer feels at home in Essen. And Rot-Weiss would probably not stand in the way of the luckless striker, who has failed to score a single competitive goal in eight months in an Essen shirt, if he decided to leave early.

But, of course, Martinovic earns a decent salary in Essen. He is one of the highest earners in the team. Not many third division clubs can afford a Martinovic in their squad, financially speaking.

Most recently, SV Waldhof Mannheim and TSV 1860 Munich were brought into play – read the WAZ report. Forecasting asked Christian Werner, sporting director at Grünwalder Straße, about this. “We have not had any talks with Dominik Martinovic,” said the 1860 official. Christian Werner knows the best Dominik Martinovic Of course, that doesn’t mean that this can’t still happen in the last week of the 2025 summer transfer window. Werner knows Martinovic very well. Or rather, he knows the best Martinovic.

During the 2022/2023 season, 44-year-old Werner worked as chief scout for SV Waldhof Mannheim. And Martinovic? The 22/23 season was the best of his entire career. Wearing the Mannheim jersey, the Stuttgart-born player with Croatian roots scored twelve goals and set up seven more in 35 appearances. Not only Werner remembers this time, but also Bernd Beetz, the Waldhof boss, who is said to regard Martinovic as something of a favorite player.

It remains to be seen whether Martinovic will agree to terminate his contract with RWE and then sign with a potential new employer. Because one thing is clear: no new club will sign Martinovic on the terms he has in Essen.