Last Season: 7th
Coach: Dino Toppmöller
Squad Valuation: €276.60m
Stadium: Deutsche Bank Park (58,000)
The last time a Toppmöller was the coach of Eintracht Frankfurt he led them to the Herbstmeisterschaft (autumn champions) only to fall away and be sacked before the end of the season with Bayern usurping them at the top of the table. Klaus Toppmöller’s tenure at Eintracht in the 1993-94 season was eventful, but his son Dino will be looking for more longevity and success now that he is the trainer at the Deutsche Bank Park.
Last season was largely a disappointment for the club and not the season they had envisaged under Oliver Glasner following their triumph in the Europa League the previous season. The campaign was beset with poor performances and off-field distractions that saw the Adler in danger of finishing in mid-table obscurity. It was only a final day collapse from Wolfsburg that saw them qualify the Conference League. A cup final defeat to RB Leipzig was the denouement of Glasner’s reign and he unsurprisingly quit at the end of the season.
This summer has seen the predicted exodus of star players with Evan Ndicka, Daichi Kamada, and Djibril Sow all departing and both Randal Kolo Muani and Jesper Lindström waiting with their bags packed for their own transfers to be sorted out.
The departures of these key players will hurt Frankfurt, but they have made some astute signings of their own to compensate. Winning the race to sign dynamic midfielder Ellyes Skhiri on a free from Köln was a real coup and the arrival of the experienced Robin Koch on loan from relegated Leeds United will bring added steel to the back line. William Pacho looks an exciting prospect, while young Swede Hugo Larsson could prove a great signing if he can settle quickly.
The inevitable loss of Kolo Muani after just one season is a real blow, but the €100 million profit after signing him for free will ease the pain a little. The arrivals of Jessic Ngankam and Omar Marmoush will give the forward line a new dynamic and with Mario Götze still orchestrating things, Frankfurt should still be able to cause teams problems.
The high of winning the Europa League is fading now, and it is up to the new coach and the players to get the club back to a position where they can once again experience the glory. Last season saw the ‘Launische Diva’ living up to her nickname, this season needs to see the Eagle flying high one more.
Major signings: William Pacho (Royal Antwerp), Hugo Larsson (Malmo), Jessic Ngankam (Hertha Berlin), Robin Koch (Leeds loan), Ellyes Skhiri (Köln), Omar Marmoush (VfL Wolfsburg)
Major departures: Djibril Sow (Sevilla), Diant Ramaj (Ajax), Evan Ndicka (Roma), Daichi Kamada (Lazio)
Possible line-up:
Youngster to watch: Paxten Aaronson
Following in the footsteps of a successful older sibling isn’t always easy, but in the case of the Aaronson brothers, 19-year-old Paxten looks set to match the achievements of his older brother Brenden (who is now back in the Bundesliga with Union Berlin after his spell in the Premier League with Leeds). Paxten arrived in Frankfurt in the January transfer window and made seven Bundesliga appearances as a substitute. He showed glimpses of what he is capable of and will be looking to shine even more this season (and to even out-do his brother).
