Eintracht Frankfurt has too many professionals under contract, and sporting director Markus Krösche is under pressure to sell several of them before the transfer window closes.
Midfielder Ellyes Skhiri has been released from training to negotiate with other clubs. Striker Elye Wahi has been given extended leave to search for a new employer. Defender Arthur Theate is listed as a sale candidate. Noel Futkeu, Jessic Ngankam and Michy Batshuayi have been sent to train with the regional league reserve side and still have no new club. Junior Dina Ebimbe and Niels Nkounkou were given a chance, judged not good enough, and are also on the sale list.
Frankfurt has already sold three regular starters for significant fees: Nathaniel Brown, Rasmus Kristensen and Aurèle Amenda. But Krösche has struggled to move on the second and third-choice players. Only backup goalkeeper Simon Simoni, defender Hrvoje Smolcic and midfield talent Krisztian Lisztes have joined other clubs so far.
Hütter wants a smaller training squad
Krösche pointed to the transfer market not yet getting going properly after the World Cup, though the quality of some players is also likely a factor. He said there have been inquiries and agent talks with other clubs, but no final agreements have been reached, including with players like Wahi, Theate and Futkeu, and possibly Ebimbe, for whom Frankfurt wants a reasonable transfer fee. Schalke 04 is reported to have renewed its interest in Ebimbe.
After a friendly in Mannheim, coach Adi Hütter said he wanted to cut the squad to 22 or 23 outfield players when training resumes on Wednesday. Some younger players are expected to drop out of the group, though Hütter still wants every position covered twice, with several young talents currently filling out the defense. Hütter said he and Krösche were in close contact and expected to have made decisions by Wednesday.
Departures holding up new signings
The club has not said how it will handle the surplus players, and the idea of a second training group, an approach Hütter used during his earlier spell at Frankfurt with young players like Daichi Kamada and Marco Fabian, has been floated as an option, though the club has not commented on it. One, two or three professionals are expected to leave the club this week.
The backlog of departures is also slowing incoming transfers. Hütter had backed signing Rayo Vallecano center back Nobel Mendy early in the window, rating him as a player of above-average quality with room to improve. Several media outlets now report Mendy may join Premier League newcomer Hull City for 20 million euros or more, a fee Hütter said Frankfurt cannot and does not want to match, adding that the era of transfers above 20 million euros is currently over for the club. Frankfurt is expected to move for a new central defender only once Theate has actually left. Theate, Wahi and Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab are expected back at the club this week after their World Cup break.
In defensive midfield, Frankfurt has filled gaps with Noel Aseko and Raphael Onyedika. Krösche still needs a full back, a center back and a quality striker to challenge Younes Ebnoutalib for the spot alongside Jonathan Burkardt. Potential sales of players like Jean-Mattéo Bahoya or Farès Chaibi could bring in extra funds, but would require wealthy buyers.
