Eintracht Backs Krösche Amidst Power Struggle Rumors

In Frankfurt, the knives are out. Just not, it seems, for Markus Krösche.

While headlines in recent days have painted the Eintracht sporting director as a man on borrowed time, the club’s leadership is presenting a very different picture. According to research by specialist magazine kicker, based on multiple background conversations with figures at the top of the club, neither Krösche nor Eintracht Frankfurt are working towards a separation this summer.

Quite the opposite. The 43-year-old is said to enjoy “full backing” from the SGE supervisory board.

That stance cuts sharply against a report from Bild, which claimed last week that the supervisory board meeting on 2 September would be used to discuss how to usher Krösche out of the door ahead of schedule. Mathias Beck, supervisory board chairman and Eintracht president, has now shot that down.

“The supervisory board meeting on Wednesday is a regularly scheduled meeting that has been planned for a long time. Naturally, it will cover all the topics of the summer, including sporting matters. I will not comment publicly on reports about Markus Krösche. The fact is, he has a current contract (until 2028, editor's note), declared himself clearly committed to Eintracht Frankfurt two months ago and, with his team, is in the final straight of the transfer window. There is therefore no reason to speculate about the future of Markus Krösche,” Beck is quoted as saying by kicker.

Inside Eintracht: “Stink bombs” and bruised egos

Behind the scenes, kicker’s conversations produced a clear impression: genuine surprise within the club at the rumours of an imminent split. Not the choreographed outrage of a club trying to save face, but irritation at what some see as a calculated campaign.

In this “explosive matter”, as the report puts it, there is talk of “stink bombs” being thrown to “stir up unrest”, driven by the “vanities” of certain individuals. Who exactly is behind it remains unclear. How Bild am Sonntag obtained its information is described as “mysterious”. But one conclusion hangs in the air: not everyone at Eintracht is currently pulling in the same direction.

On Sunday evening, Lothar Matthäus struck a similar tone on Sky90. “Something is being played behind the scenes here against Markus Krösche because perhaps some people are jealous of him,” Germany’s record international speculated.

What the rumours do not reflect, according to kicker, is a dressing-room style bust-up between Krösche and coach Adi Hütter. Bild had suggested a serious falling-out between the sporting director, who has overseen a turbulent and sluggish transfer window, and the Austrian. The reality sounds more mundane: Hütter is unhappy that key squad decisions dragged on into the start of the season, but there has been no major clash. He did, after all, get two of his preferred signings in goalkeeper Noah Atubolu and centre-back Lilian Brassier.

Transfer chaos and big-money exits

All of this noise comes with Eintracht still deep in transfer traffic.

The opening Bundesliga matchday underlined the fragility of the current squad. Eintracht led 3-1 at Union Berlin, only to let the advantage slip late and return from the capital with just a point. With the window ticking down, plenty can still change.

Up front, SGE are still chasing another familiar face. With Arnau Kalimuendo, who impressed on loan from Nottingham in the second half of last season with six goals in 19 games, there remains hope of securing another loan deal, kicker reports.

On the outgoing side, the numbers are hefty. A move for Hugo Larsson to the Premier League could bring in up to €25 million. The midfielder was recently in London with Eintracht’s permission to negotiate with two clubs, one of them Crystal Palace.

Jean-Matteo Bahoya was also expected to swell the coffers. His proposed transfer to Hull City was set to bring in almost €20 million, but, according to Sport1, the player himself turned the deal down.

Another sale, not originally planned, could still explode into life in the final hours of the window. Matching media reports state that Al-Ittihad are pushing hard for Ritsu Doan, with a move to Saudi Arabia for around €18 million now considered likely.

Add those deals together and Eintracht could yet clear more than €60 million in player sales. All while the sporting director supposedly on the brink is still steering the window.

Milan millions turned down

The timing of the latest speculation around Krösche is striking. Only a few weeks ago, AC Milan tried to lure him away. The Rossoneri made a serious play, reportedly offering him €40 million over four years.

In June, Krösche gave them his final answer: no. According to kicker, he turned down that personally lucrative package and chose to stay in Frankfurt.

Now, in the middle of a murky transfer puzzle and with pressure rising, rumours of his departure suddenly resurface. For some at Eintracht, it feels less like coincidence and more like a power struggle.

Riera misstep dents once-untouchable status

Krösche’s standing at Eintracht had been close to untouchable since his arrival in 2021, built on a string of smart sales and a squad that regularly punched above its weight. Last season changed that.

The turning point was Albert Riera.

After the dismissal of Dino Toppmöller, Krösche pushed hard for the Spaniard. It was his call. It backfired badly. Riera failed spectacularly in Frankfurt, alienated fans and players, and lasted just 14 matches. Eintracht stumbled to a disappointing eighth-place finish.

The price was steep. For the first time since Krösche took charge, Eintracht will not play in Europe this season. The aura of infallibility around the sporting director cracked.

That backdrop makes the current storm more dangerous. One high-profile coaching misstep, a choppy transfer window, missed European football – and suddenly every rumour finds fertile ground.

Krösche stays silent

Krösche himself is not adding fuel to the fire. After the draw in Berlin, he refused to be drawn into the debate.

“We're talking about football,” he said shortly after the final whistle. Asked again about the reports, he simply requested they “leave it at that”.

For now, the message from the boardroom is clear: he stays, he leads, he has their backing. The transfer window’s final days will test that resolve – and show whether Eintracht are truly united behind their sporting boss, or merely holding their nerve before the next internal shockwave.