Donny van de Beek opts for a new opportunity as a footballer with Eintracht Frankfurt. The midfielder, who comes from Manchester United, ends up at a sub-topper in the Bundesliga, a club that also plays in the intermediate round of the Conference League. Football zone In anticipation of his debut, he made a tour of people who know Eintracht well and know what Van de Beek can expect in Germany.

By Rian Rosendaal

“Donny van de Beek is urgently needed at Eintracht,” concludes Christopher Michel, who follows the club closely for Sports1. “Because two important players, Ellyes Skhiri and Farés Chaibi, will be missing for weeks due to their participation in the African Cup of Nations. In addition, captain Sebastian Rode will end his career next summer and is currently not fit. Eintracht therefore urgently needs new players at the center of the midfield.”

New chance
“In Frankfurt, many players whose careers were in the doldrums have found their way to their old level. Eintracht rents Van de Beek and also has the option to buy him for less than 10 million euros. So it is a major transfer from the quiver of sporting director Markus Krösche. Van de Beek should be there immediately,” Michel says of the brand new signing. “He could become a defining figure in Eintracht's midfield alongside Mario Götze and Hugo Larsson.”

Donny van de Beek will play together with Mario Götze.

René from supporters platform Eintracht Podcast expect Van de Beek to end up in a warm bath in Frankfurt. “What he can expect is great support from Eintracht's supporters. Whether it's a home or away match, every match is sold out.” The Deutsche Bank Park of that Adler can accommodate 56,500 visitors. The average number of spectators this season is 56,157. A significant improvement compared to the 2022/23 vintage, when the average in the home port of Frankfurt was still 50,102.

Van de Beek will be part of a fairly young selection in Frankfurt. According to Transfer market the average age this season is 24.6 years. “It is a young team with the necessary prospects for the future. Although it must be said that the start of the season was not great.” Frankfurt currently occupies eighth place in the Bundesliga, one place lower than last season, when they finished seventh. “It can still be a good season if the problems regarding the striker position and central back are resolved quickly.”

Worked with Nagelsmann
The born Nijkerkervener will have to deal with Dino Toppmöller, the 43-year-old coach who has a past as a player at Eintracht. His father Klaus rose to great heights with Bayer Leverkusen in the 2001/02 season. However, the final chord was dramatic, because after losing the national title, the finals of the cup and the Champions League were also lost. “Dino is best known for his time at Luxembourg's Dudelange, with whom he played in the Champions League. And he was assistant to Julian Nagelsmann at Bayern. I like him. He always gives honest answers, is critical of himself and players get opportunities when they prove themselves in training.”

Van de Beek will have to deal with the young trainer Dino Toppmöller.

Eintracht Podcast However, don't expect miracles from Toppmöller junior in the new year. “The team is simply not in balance. Eintracht lacks a real finisher and there are more three center backs of quality. Add to this that there are also more two defensive midfielders who add quality. In the first half of the season, rotation, which was necessary, was “It is very clear that quality is lacking. And with the interim round in the Conference League, there will only be more matches. Without an asset in every line, it will be a tough assignment.”

Frankfurt will probably not start as favorites in the European diptych with Union Sint-Gillis, who were too strong for Liverpool last week with a 2-1 win. “They are dominant in the Belgian competition and are really in one flow. Eintracht is very far away from that. I trust that the technical staff will come up with a good tactical plan for these matches. On the other hand, I doubt whether the players will deliver a top performance, especially considering that three or four players will participate in the African Cup of Nations in January.”

Freelance journalist Marius Epp, who works for, among others, the Frankfurter Allgemeine, Toppmöller believes he is capable of triumphing with Eintracht against Union. “His way of working is very similar to that of Nagelsmann, his old boss. Toppmöller stands for fast, vertical and attacking football. Van de Beek could benefit from that.” Epp also sees the 2022 Europa League winner performing very inconsistently. “Good games are alternated with bad games. At the end of the first half of the season, things got better and Eintracht goes into the winter break as number six in the Bundesliga.”

Eintracht has loyal fans who support the club through thick and thin.

Loyal fans
As is the case with all clubs, Eintracht also experiences good and bad times. In any case, according to Epp, it will not be due to the support of the supporters. “Eintracht has one of the largest and most loyal supporter groups in Germany. In the last five years, the club has undergone a true transformation. From mid-table to a team that consistently finishes in the top six. Eintracht also won the DFP-Pokal and the Europa League and has therefore shown that they are capable of winning prizes.”

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