“I’m not selfish enough yet”
©IMAGO
When the financially strong Al-Ittihad Club from Saudi Arabia offered 60 million euros for Jean-Mattéo Bahoya (20) in the summer, the offensive player didn’t think for a second about leaving Eintracht Frankfurt. “To be honest, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. That was the logical conclusion for me. I want to have a great season and compete in the Champions League,” Bahoya explained in “L’Équipe” interview. “We’ll see what comes next. In any case, Frankfurt was the ideal place for me. And I’m very happy that I stayed.”
After the French U21 international was able to fight for a regular place last season, it is now a matter of consolidating his performances and becoming even more decisive in the game. That’s what coach Dino Toppmöller, his teammates and himself would expect. “I have high expectations. As a striker you can perform well, but if you end the game without a scorer in the statistics, something is missing. I’m not selfish enough yet. I have to work on that, because that’s how football is today.”
After nine appearances, the left winger has already scored as many goals as he did in the entire previous season. There are three goals and one assist; in 2024/25 there were seven scorers in 33 games. The proportion of games is also increasing more and more. Bahoya came to Frankfurt from Angers SCO at the beginning of 2024 for 8 million euros, where he has since increased his market value tenfold to 25 million euros. Those responsible for SGE are said to be imagining a much higher fee for the future, even more than the offer from Saudi Arabia.
An early move to Frankfurt was a difficult decision for Bahoya
The decision to move abroad early was not an easy one for the fastest player in the Bundesliga. “I was a little hesitant about staying in Angers for another six months. But the Frankfurt coach wanted me. That was the project that suited me best. At 18, after almost ten years at your club, you change country. That’s not easy,” admitted Bahoya. “You have to come to an agreement with your family and the advisors and see what the best option is. I am very happy with my decision because Frankfurt has respected our joint project and we are on the right path.”
In addition to coach Toppmöller, who speaks fluent French, he was particularly helped by the large group of players from his home country. “We feel really comfortable in our cocoon. When I arrived here I didn’t speak English or German, and Niels Nkounkou and junior Dina Ebimbe helped me a lot to integrate. I owe the fact that I can develop on the pitch to the French-speaking players in the dressing room, who give me a lot of good advice,” explained Bahoya. “I’ve now settled into the city and the club, but when I arrived it wasn’t easy.”
Bahoya wants to play for Eintracht Frankfurt with his younger brother
Her parents and younger brother, who also moved to Frankfurt, are also a great source of support. Brother Paul (17) has also been playing for Eintracht in the youth ranks for a year, but as a right-back. Bahoya hopes to one day be on the pitch with him in professional training and in the Bundesliga. “I would really like that. He has to work hard for it. But he definitely has what it takes to get promoted from the U19 team. And I’m really looking forward to that, because of course there’s nothing better than playing with his brother.”