Around five months after Markus Krösche took office, the interim conclusion at Eintracht Frankfurt is sobering. In the Europa League, a win at Olympiakos Piraeus (Thursday, 6:45 p.m.) can make clear the entry into the second round, but in the Bundesliga, the SBU lags behind expectations in 15th place. The 41-year-old already has clear ideas about how the squad should change in the coming summer.
With a total of six professionals, according to “Sport Bild”, it is clear that the cooperation will not be continued beyond the current season. In addition to Makoto Hasebe (37), Stefan Ilsanker (32), Danny da Costa (28) and Aymen Barkok (23), whose expiring contracts are not to be extended, right-backs Erik Durm (29) and Gonçalo Paciência (27) also count are contractually bound to the “Eagle Bearers” until 2023. All in all, this sextet has a market value of 17.5 million euros.
With Hasebe, who has been wearing the Eintracht jersey since 2014, the most loyal player would leave the club. The Japanese has so far played 244 missions for Frankfurt – among all foreigners in history, only Oka Nikolov (415 games) and Wilhelm Huberts (254) have played more often for the SGE. The defensive player’s working paper had already expired in the past two years and was extended by one season each spring – according to the report, this was excluded this season.
Hasebe chases second place: Eintracht Frankfurt’s record foreigners
According to reports, the signs are similarly clear at Ilsanker, da Costa and Barkok, none of whom are permanent staff this season. At least with the Austrian, however, Eintracht’s hands would be tied if he met certain athletic requirements. The contract would automatically be extended to 2023 if it had 23 competitive games by the summer. So far, Ilsanker has been sent to the field in five matches by coach Oliver Glasner.
For Durm and returnees Paciência, who was considered rejected after his loan to Schalke 04, but was recently even in the starting eleven, a buyer was already sought this summer. In the coming year at the latest, the last chance for a transfer fee should be used – especially because the well-endowed contracts block salary scope for newcomers.
