The forced departure of Randal Kolo Muani still resonates days later at Eintracht Frankfurt. There are new details about the Frenchman’s actions. The fact that the deal almost fell through in the end is the highlight of a memorable deadline day.
In the final hours of the transfer window, professional football has unearthed many a colorful story. But what those responsible for Eintracht experienced last Friday will probably never be forgotten. Because the story the biggest deal in Eintracht club historyone of the biggest deals of all time in Bundesliga football overall, is a story with a long start, many twists and dramatic final seconds, according to information from hr-sport.
WM turns Kolo Muani’s head
But first things first: In the football spring, Eintracht Frankfurt suddenly has a solid superstar under contract: Randal Kolo Muani played big at the World Cup and drew worldwide attention. The young sky striker is suddenly in the limelight and also gets his head turned by his teammates around Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.
When Kolo Muani changed his advisor in February and switched to the agency of the notorious Moussa Sissoko, the sporting management of Eintracht knew what was in store for them in the summer: a scenario in which the high-flyer wanted to leave Frankfurt. Those responsible know from the consultant’s past: If necessary, by all means.
Boniface and Wahi should come
The team led by sports director Markus Krösche therefore sets out early the search for alternatives to Kolo Muani. In early summer, top-class players like Victor Boniface, who is now causing a sensation in Leverkusen, can still be had reasonably cheaply. The problem: Boniface and others only want to move to Frankfurt as the number one striker. However, the sporting management cannot and will not promise you that at this point in time. After all, Kolo Muani is still a Eintracht player.
When the Hessians found a suitable alternative to Kolo Muani in August with the young Elye Wahi, there was another problem. Because although Eintracht agrees with the player, another deal is faltering: the planned sale of Jesper Lindström. The offer from Leipzig is below the Frankfurt expectations, and an announced offer from Turin is also too long in coming. Wahi also waits as long as it makes sense for the player – and then switches to Lens. The Lindstrom deal with Napoli comes later, too late. After all, Eintracht collects a whopping 34 million euros for the Dane.
Kolo Muani flees to Paris
Three days later is Friday September 1st. Randal Kolo Muani is now in Paris and would like to force a move back to his home country with a strike. A fact that also leaves its mark on the team. At that point at the latest it is clear: a way back for Kolo Muani will be rocky. But Paris Saint-Germain is playing for time.
Everything has already been prepared in Frankfurt for the potential Kolo successor Hugo Ekitiké, even the date for the medical check-up has been set. But PSG continues to make adventurous sums in the room. Time is ticking, a deal is becoming increasingly unlikely.
Kolo Muani gets the tone wrong
Shortly after 5 p.m., Eintracht officially declared the negotiations over. While one Eintracht board is telling PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the other Eintracht board has Kolo Muani on the phone at the same time, who is massively expressing his dissatisfaction with Eintracht’s decision. But even now, those responsible are not giving in.
When the German transfer window closes at 6 p.m., Eintracht still hasn’t found a replacement for the top scorer of the past Bundesliga season. Changes to France are still possible until 11 p.m. Nevertheless, at this point in time there is almost nothing left for a final punchline in this exchange posse. An already exhausting week seems to be coming to an end.
From 8 p.m. it gets wild
All that changes again shortly before 8 p.m.: Al-Khelaifi tries to achieve unity urgently and rings the storm. However, the Eintracht boards are in different places at this time. One is still at the professional camp with his team, another with his family at a noble Italian, a third on the return journey from the Conference League draw in Monte Carlo, the fourth is already at home.
Getting them all together now is an impossibility. Solution: They exchange short messages, coordinate and are certain: Al-Khelaifi wants and needs to sign Kolo Muani tonight.
The number 75 million falls, Eintracht rejects. 85 million are offered, again rejects the board. Paris asked what the last word was from Frankfurt. 100 million euros is the answer. Shortly thereafter, an agreement was reached on 95 million euros.
No Kolo, but Nkounkou scored yesterday.
Deal becomes photo finish
However, there is no time to digest this deal emotionally. On the contrary: contracts have to be drawn up and signed, and documents have to be uploaded to the corresponding FIFA servers. All this until 11 p.m. And time is ticking again. In Frankfurt, the board members and their employees are working under high pressure from now on. But while everything is ready on time in Hesse, time is suddenly running out in Paris.
In Frankfurt, everyone collectively held their breath when at 10:59 p.m. (!) and thus in the very last minute of this summer transfer window, the documents from France also appeared on the FIFA server. The biggest deal in Eintracht club history, which had been on the horizon for half a year, almost fell through in a few seconds. The crazy end of a wild nerve mud fight.
