Reports: Frankfurt interested in Retegui and Ekitike, Hardung in line for promotion
Some - albeit rather loose links - are beginning to surface regarding Eintracht Frankfurt's potential coming search for a Randal Kolo Muani replacement this summer.
At present, all that seems to be certain is that current SGE sporting director Markus Krösche will soon avail himself of some help in the front office.
With it looking increasingly likely that Eintracht Frankfurt attacking talisman Randal Kolo Muani will be leaving the club in the summer, some reports about replacements the SGE may be considering are starting to surface. Argentina's "La Radio Red" reports that - as was the case with the signing of Colombian striker Rafael Santos Borré - the RheinMain Eagles are looking to Latin America.
At present, all that seems to be certain is that current SGE sporting director Markus Krösche will soon avail himself of some help in the front office.
Argentine-Italian striker Mateo Retegui is, according to Argentine journalist Nicolas Booze, on the SGE radar. The 23-year-old is currently on loan at Club Atletico Tigre from Boca Juniors. The €8-million-valued center-forward has also been linked with Serie A sides. Sky's German outfit notes this, and that the player might be receiving some attention from Leverkusen, in denying the Argentine report that an agreement is close at hand.
French journalist Abdellah Boulma of RTLFoot claims that Markus Krösche and the Frankfurt administrative team are actually considering a swap with PSG involving Muani and Hugo Ekitike. The €25-million-valued lead striker is currently playing for PSG on loan from Stade Reims. The Parisians might purchase the player themselves and send him over to Hessen in exchange for Muani.
Sucha swap would not be unprecedented for Frankfurt. When the administrative duo of Fredi Bobic and Bruno Hübner were actively managing the club's player personnel, swapping players was a common occurrence. André Silva and Ante Rebic were exchanged for one another. So too were Mijat Gacinoivic-Steven Zuber and Frederik Røonow-Markus Schubert.
According to Germany's Kicker Magazine, Krösche is set to receive some company in the front office in the form of scout/player licenser Timo Hardung. The former Julian-Nagelsmann-regime manager followed Krösche from Leipzig in the summer of 2021. Hardung has been influential in recent SGE signings, most notable that of American Paxten Aaronsen this past autumn.
Kicker's Julian Franzke writes that Hardung is set to move up to the sporting director position and provide Krösche with the administrative assistance lost when Ben Manga departed this past December. Krösche may receive a "Sporting CEO" title as part of the organizational reshuffling. The newly formed duo - armed with new titles - can then proceed to approach the summer rebuild robustly.