Eintracht Frankfurt needs reinforcements in the attack and is now apparently targeting an old friend. Axel Hellmann also emphasizes how urgent the search for new attackers is. But the board spokesman sees further construction sites.
This December, board spokesman Axel Hellmann officially declared Eintracht Frankfurt’s year over and reclassified it once again. In what has now become an almost traditional conversation with media director Jan Strasheim, Hellmann looked back and at the same time dared to look ahead. His basic message: There is nothing to complain about in terms of points and position in the table. The squad and the style of play do. There is an urgent need for action.
At the beginning of the club’s own podcast, Hellmann made it clear that the Hessians’ current situation was absolutely satisfactory from a sporting perspective. 25 points from 15 games and four points behind the Champions League places are “pretty okay”. Nevertheless, and Hellmann emphasized this quite clearly, there are also a lot of negative things in the year-end spurt. The mood in the area and apparently also in the club is currently fluctuating between disappointment and disillusionment. “It just doesn’t feel like Eintracht Frankfurt football.”
Hellmann missed Unity emotionality
A feeling that many people probably share. And a feeling that was about to change quickly. The team of coach Dino Toppmöller, whom Hellmann did not address by name but who is precisely responsible for this, has appeared strangely lethargic and anemic at times over the past few weeks. The emotionality and passion that often made the difference in Frankfurt have been lost somewhere in the past few months. “I lack intensity against the ball. We have to defend more intensively, that’s what annoyed everyone the most,” said Hellmann.
The famous spark that jumped from the pitch to the stands and back in the Frankfurt Arena in the past without any problems is now only very rarely seen. “I’ve said before that it doesn’t take much to make this stadium shake,” said Hellmann. Alone: It has happened far too rarely or never this season. Eintracht has to wake up again and set the supporters on fire again. “We need compactness and aggressiveness.” Clear announcement and clear message: style of play and demeanor must change. But that’s not enough.
New strikers are needed
Regardless of a fresh start in the minds of the players, Eintracht also urgently needs new legs, according to Hellmann. It is no secret that the Hessians are too thinly positioned in the storm and are looking for reinforcements in the winter. Hellmann once again pushed the Frankfurt transfer carousel, which had not yet really gotten going, with both hands. “We have to do something in this position. We need solutions behind Jonny Burkardt that work better than in the first half of the season.”
In his remarks, Hellmann also made no secret of the fact that the striker transfers that have always been excellent in Frankfurt in recent years have recently flopped. Elye Wahi, who is about to leave for OGC Nice, will probably go down as the biggest and most expensive misunderstanding in the club’s history. Michy Batshuayi also continued to fall short of expectations. “We certainly didn’t just hit the bullseye on the squad planning side.” Kind regards to Markus Krösche.
Now, after numerous top signings, the Frankfurt sports director is certainly allowed to reach into the transfer toilet. It is also clear that Krösche now has to deliver and close the gaping gaps in the attacking line. But when will something finally happen?
Kalimuendo once again a topic
It now seems clear that William Osula from Newcastle United, who was previously considered the top candidate and was close to moving to Main in the summer, is no longer at the top of the wish list. The Dane was and is injured and a transfer is becoming increasingly unlikely.
According to reports in the Bild newspaper, the new favorite is now Arnaud Kalimuendo. The 23-year-old Frenchman, who has often been considered Eintracht’s ideal solution and is said to have always been ahead of Wahi in Krösche’s favor as a striker, could once again become an issue. Kalimuendo moved to Nottingham Forrest before the season for around 30 million euros, but there he became more of an English wahi than the new favorite of the masses.
After eight appearances, a total of 82 Premier League minutes and zero goals, the chapter could come to an end for both sides and Eintracht could strike. But is this Kalimuendo really the emergency aid that Frankfurt was hoping for and needed? That remains to be seen.
The same applies to the Younes Ebnoutalib case. According to Bild, the Frankfurt native is about to make a move. Only the medical check still stands between him and a five-and-a-half-year contract with Eintracht, which is due to be signed this year. The transfer fee is eight million euros plus two million possible bonuses.
Hellmann holds coaches and squad planners accountable
One thing is now clear: after a short break around the Christmas holidays, the quiet time at Eintracht is finally over. CEO Hellmann has set the tone for the coming days and weeks; there is a lot of work to do. “We have a lot to correct. We have to make progress this winter on the issues that we can change.” Toppmöller and Krösche probably understood.
