By Peter Weis@PeterVicey

Report suggests contractal clause keeps Timothy Chandler on Frankfurt bench

SGE trainer Adi Hütter has tried out many options on the flanks in his preferred 3-5-2 constellation this season. One notable player hasn't earned a start yet. 

Germany's "SportBild" reports that a contractual clause may be keeping club mainstay Timothy Chandler on the bench. 
Timothy Chandler.
Timothy Chandler.Photo: IIJ Events / CC-BY-SA-2.0
Despite a prolific goal-scoring revival in the second-half of last season, Frankfurt fans have seen precious little of one of their hometown heroes this season. Timothy Chandler has not yet been awarded a place in the Adler starting XI through nine rounds and one Pokal match.

German Boulevard-Zeitung "SportBild" recently reported that the 30-year-old may have an extension clause in his contract that kicks in after a certain number of starts. According to the newspaper, Chandler's current deal with the club will be automatically extended to 2023 if he earns enough selections.

The SGE may be reticent to use the former US international, who's current contract expires in 2022, for precisely this reason. The major surgery which kept Chandler sidelined for over a year may render him too high a long-term risk. Neither the original SportBild story nor a re-reportage found on German website Ligainsider.de features any comments from club officials.

Hütter will certainly need to shake things up this weekend as his team enter the round ten fixture against Dortmund having not achieved a win in six straight league matches. On Wednesday, club sporting director Bruno Hübner confirmed that winger Aymen Barkok remains quarantined with COVID while also noting that potential flank attacker Amin Younes is once again fully fit after his own bout with the virus.
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