Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt are set to complete the signing of Leeds United right-back Rasmus Kristensen on an initial loan, with an option to sign the Denmark international on a permanent deal for a reported €15m, according to Kicker, with the medical set for Friday.
Bundesliga clubs have been linked with an abundance of new signings this summer as they all prepare for the upcoming season. With the European Championship and Copa America now coming to a close, deals are likely to accelerate and become more concrete in the coming weeks.
Eintracht Frankfurt is no exception in this regard, with the club working on quite a few deals so far this summer to bolster their already talented squad. The club have already brought in Hugo Ekitiké on a permanent deal after his loan with them this past season, as well as signed the likes of Can Uzun and Oscar Højlund to add some very exciting young talent to their ranks.
Frankfurt seem to be looking to bolster in defence now however, with reports indicating that the club are interested in obtaining the services of Kristensen. The 27-year-old, formerly of RB Salzburg and currently with Leeds United, spent the last season on loan with Roma in Serie A. While at the club, he made 19 starts, chipping in with a goal and an assist across 29 appearances across all competitions.
Kristensen’s numbers this season have only shown shades of what the player is capable of, with the player not really excelling in any areas beyond progressive passes received (5.93) or aerial duels won (1.55) per 90. If we take a look at the 2021/22 season he had with Salzburg however, we see more of what made the Danish defender such an interesting transfer target prior to his move to Leeds. Kristensen chipped in with seven goals and four assists across that season. In 2021/22, he was lauded for his first touch, athleticism, and the progressive nature of his play, something that in many ways could have suffered due to his involvement with a very clearly struggling Leeds side and a Roma side very much in transition after the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
While Kristensen has clearly underwhelmed in recent years, a move to a side like Frankfurt could be a great move for both player and club from both a performance and economic standpoint. Valued at €10m currently, Leeds are seemingly looking for at least €15m for his services. There is a good chance that Frankfurt can negotiate a lower fee or even seek a loan, as the report indicates.
Can Eintracht Frankfurt get Rasmus Kristensen back to his best?
As for Kristensen (27), the player is entering his prime and this could be a move to a league where he can play top flight football and rebuild his reputation as a top right back. Under Dino Toppmöller, Frankfurt will be looking to play a more attacking brand of football this season which could see Kristensen flourish once again the way he did for Salzburg. According to Toppmöller, the club want to be better in the final third and score more goals:
“Fundamentally our approach will be to play in a bit more of a compact way. We want to have a clear playing style, get forward more and improve our play in the final third… Goals win games, and we want to score more goals.”
Frankfurt also have the benefit of having already seen one former Leeds player flourish on the Bundesliga in the form of Robin Koch, who became a mainstay for Frankfurt under Toppmöller, which led to the club signing him on a free transfer this summer to a permanent deal.
The rehabilitation of players and bringing them back up to speed is something that’s worked very well for clubs like Frankfurt in the past, with the aforementioned Koch and Ekitiké falling into that category. Frankfurt also did masterful work to bring Mario Götze to the Bundesliga, where he too had become a critical player for the side. It is very possible that should this deal go through, Kristensen could also have a new lease on life and become an important player for a Frankfurt side readying itself for what could be a very exciting campaign for them if their transfer business is anything to go by.
