Inside Frankfurt’s Transfer Model: The Next Stars Set for Major Moves

There are many clubs that talk about sustainably building their squads through smart use of the transfer market, but for one German side that talk has certainly not been cheap, at least not for the clubs buying from them. In the last six years, Eintracht Frankfurt have generated more than £345 million in transfer profits, selling players to some of the world’s biggest teams. PSG, Manchester City and, most recently, Liverpool have all dipped into the Frankfurt talent pool and spent heavily in the process.

Perhaps even more impressive is what Frankfurt originally paid for the players they later sold for such huge sums. According to Transfermarkt, Hugo Ekitike was bought for £31.5 million and sold for £95 million. Omar Marmoush arrived on a free transfer and was later sold to Manchester City for £75 million, while Randal Kolo Muani, also signed on a free, was sold for £95 million. These are just three examples of the outstanding business Frankfurt have conducted in recent years, making it clear that sporting director Markus Krösche has an exceptional eye for value.

The question is: who is next?

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Jean-Matteo Bahoya

The first candidate is 20-year-old French winger Jean-Matteo Bahoya. Signed for £8 million from Angers, he currently boasts the second-best ball-carry grade among Bundesliga wingers, highlighting his speed and skill in possession. On top of his dribbling ability, Bahoya can finish as well, demonstrated by an impressive 80.5 shooting grade that places him among the league’s best at his position. He is a strong contender to become the next major sale in Frankfurt’s talent-production line.

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Nathaniel Brown

Next is 22-year-old full-back Nathaniel Brown, who recently earned his first cap for Germany. The left-back has reportedly already attracted interest from Manchester City. This season, Brown has excelled in both attacking and defensive 1v1 situations, posting an 83.6 ball-carry grade and an 85.9 carry-defending grade, the best numbers among Bundesliga full-backs. These metrics significantly outperform the 72.8 and 71.2 recorded by Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, who is enjoying a breakthrough season of his own in the Premier League. Brown has created clear chances from 12% of his crosses this season, ranking second among full-backs who have played at least 50% of available Bundesliga minutes. This underlines how efficient he is when delivering the ball into the box, a quality a manager like Pep Guardiola would value highly.

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Can Uzun

The final candidate is Can Uzun, an attacking midfielder who has stood out in every Frankfurt match I have watched this season. With eight goal contributions in his first nine Bundesliga games, the 20-year-old Turkish international has wasted no time adapting to the top flight. Signed after scoring 16 goals in 33 games for Nürnberg, Uzun has already showcased his scoring ability in Frankfurt colours, posting a strong 78.3 shooting grade. At 6’1” and capable of playing wide or centrally, Uzun has the physical profile and technical quality to thrive in any of Europe’s major leagues. In fact, Uzun is just one of 10 players in the Bundesliga this season to record a 70+ grade in ball carrying, passing, shooting and crossing. It is easy to imagine him joining the growing list of Frankfurt talents identified early and later sold for significant profit.

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