For most clubs, losing their top goalscorer every season is a recipe for disaster.
But Eintracht Frankfurt have done exactly that—four times in the past seven Bundesliga campaigns—while continuing to climb the league table. From a pure business perspective, no German club has generated more profit in the transfer market over the past three years. Yet Frankfurt’s story is not just about profit margins; it’s about a model that has redefined sustainable success.
A Factory for Forwards
Since 2019, the Commerzbank-Arena has been a launchpad for strikers destined for Europe’s biggest stages. Omar Marmoush, Randal Kolo Muani, Luka Jović, Sébastien Haller, André Silva, and most recently Hugo Ekitiké have all departed Frankfurt after prolific spells, each sale boosting the club’s transfer balance sheet.
According to The Athletic, Ekitiké’s €93 million move to Liverpool FC this summer pushed Frankfurt’s net transfer profit since 2023 to around €161 million. If we count only the center-forwards sold in the past six years, the total profit is an astonishing €345 million.
The Kroesche Method
Sporting director Markus Krösche has been the architect of this project since his appointment in 2021. Speaking to Sky Sports in August 2024, Krösche explained his philosophy:
“I call them end clubs—Paris, Manchester City, Liverpool. We are in between. If a player’s development is faster than our club’s, and I get the money I expect, I let him go. That’s why so many young talents come here: we know how to develop them.”
Clinical in approach, Krösche has backed his words with investment. Frankfurt’s training center now boasts psychologists, nutritionists, and specialist coaches dedicated to improving individual players. The pitch is not the only place where growth is fostered.
Coaching That Creates Stars
CEO Axel Hellmann pointed to Marmoush’s development as the blueprint.
“When Marmoush arrived, he wasn’t really a goalscorer,” Hellmann told The Athletic. “Our coaches worked with him mentally, physically, strategically, tactically, and technically. We created a whole new player.”
By the time Marmoush left, he had become a versatile, dynamic attacker—attributes that made him attractive to Manchester City.
Recruitment with a Purpose
Frankfurt’s recruitment is not groundbreaking, but it is remarkably consistent. Of their last 26 permanent signings, 21 were under the age of 25. They target versatile young players with high resale potential who suit their fast-transition style of play.
Notably, five of Frankfurt’s 10 most expensive signings still play for the club, while the others were sold on for profit. New arrival Jonathan Burkardt looks like another player cut from the Marmoush mold.
A Style That Sells
Last season, Frankfurt were second only to Liverpool in expected goals from fast breaks across Europe’s top four leagues. This direct, high-intensity approach makes their forwards especially appealing to Premier League clubs, where transitions and pace are increasingly prized.
By aligning their football identity with market demand, Frankfurt have positioned themselves as the Bundesliga’s most efficient talent incubator.
The Future of the Model
Can this streak continue? Almost certainly. As long as Frankfurt provide the conditions for young forwards to thrive and keep offering them a clear pathway to Europe’s elite clubs, they will remain attractive to emerging stars.
The brilliance of Frankfurt’s model is that everyone wins: the players get their dream moves, the club profits massively, and supporters still enjoy European football and Bundesliga success.
For a team that keeps selling its best scorers, Eintracht Frankfurt are somehow only getting stronger.
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