Terzic and Krösche speak on Knauff's future
Eintracht Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krösche and BVB trainer Edin Terzic issued competing statements on the future of Germany U21 international Ansgar Knauff on Friday.
Whilst the 20-year-old winger recuperates from a fascia thigh injury, Ansgar Knauff found himself a traded topic during the Friday media rounds. BVB trainer Edin Terzic was asked about the the Germany U-21 international, who would be playing against his parent club when Eintracht Frankfurt square off against Borussia Dortmund today, during his Friday presser.
Terzic gave the Göttingen-native his first chance with the Dortmund senior team during his stint as BVB interim trainer in the spring of 2021. It was under Terzic that the young talent scored his first Bundesliga goal and placed himself on the radar of the German footballing scene. Terzic made clear that he expected Knauff back at the end of his current 18-month loan-stint with Frankfurt.
"I've known him for a long time. He got the first starts when I first worked the touchline," Terzic noted at his Friday presser, "He delivered some super actions whilst in the starting eleven in both games against Manchester City [in the 2020/21 Champions' League]. He then didn't get the minutes, so he was loaned out."
Terzic emphasized that he continued to track the player when he moved up to the club's front office. One of the current BVB head-coach's initial projects clearly still meant a lot to him. Terzic let there be no doubt that he looked forward to working with Knauff again.
"The clear plan is that he will return to us in the summer," Terzic said, "He is our player and is under contract with us. We'll take care of the rest this summer."
Whether or not Knauff's current loan club is prepared to allow him to return, however, remains to be seen. The youngster already cemented his place in SGE lore with some unforgettable heroic's in the team's 2021/22 Europa League championship run. During the current season, Eintracht trainer Oliver Glasner has used him at virtually every position.
Knauff has played on both flanks as a winger and wingback, even filling in on the back-line once. Germany's "Sport Bild" reached SGE sporting director Markus Krösche on Friday evening for comment on Knauff's status. Frankfurt's chief personnel executive had a different view on Terzic's comments.
"We want to keep Ansgar," Krösche said, "We have already signaled that to him. He feels very comfortable with us, has developed further here, and will continue to develop."
Knauff's present contract with the BVB runs through the end of the 2023/24 campaign. Knauff himself might thus have to make some major decisions after the current season concludes. Should he continue to develop along the current trajectory, other major clubs will be interested in him. Dortmund may wish to cash in on the youngster too in the final year of his deal.
A sale to an EPL club on the Isle could be a possibility. Knauff has already loosely been linked with Newcastle United.