Adi Hütter returns to Eintracht Frankfurt on a three-year deal, vowing to finish 'unfinished business'
Five years after a controversial departure, Austrian coach Adi Hütter is back at Eintracht Frankfurt, signing a contract until 2029 to replace Albert Riera and revive the club after a disappointing eighth-place Bundesliga finish.
Eintracht Frankfurt has reappointed Adi Hütter as head coach, bringing the 56-year-old Austrian back to the Bundesliga club he left in 2021. Hütter has signed a three-year contract running until 30 June 2029, succeeding Albert Riera, who departed by mutual agreement after a short and turbulent spell lasting less than four months.
The return
Hütter's first stint in Frankfurt, from 2018 to 2021, was marked by a run to the Europa League semi-finals in 2019 and a fifth-place Bundesliga finish in 2021. His departure to Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summer of 2021, announced during the season's run-in while the club sat fourth, proved controversial. Frankfurt subsequently squandered a seven-point cushion and missed out on Champions League qualification.
For me it's very special and emotional to be coach at Eintracht again. The time we had together in Frankfurt left a big impression on me and has always stayed with me. Looking back, I always had the feeling of having unfinished business.
A turbulent season
Frankfurt endured a chaotic 2025-26 campaign, cycling through three head coaches. Dino Toppmöller was dismissed in mid-January, and Riera, hired in early February on a two-and-a-half-year deal, was let go after the final Bundesliga matchday. The club finished eighth, outside the European qualification places, and exited the Champions League after the league phase.
Hütter's recent record
Since leaving Frankfurt, Hütter spent one season at Borussia Mönchengladbach before taking over at AS Monaco in July 2023. He guided the principality club to second- and third-place Ligue 1 finishes in 2024 and 2025 respectively, but was dismissed in October 2025 after a poor start to the season, including a Champions League defeat at Club Brugge and a draw against Manchester City.
Adi Hütter stands for brave attacking football, clarity and discipline. He's shown in his career that he can combine fast-paced transitional play with possession - especially at Monaco, where he so effectively developed and stabilised one of the youngest teams in the league.
A familiar face
Hütter becomes the eighth coach in Eintracht Frankfurt's history to receive a second stint at the club, following names such as Armin Veh, Dragoslav Stepanović, and Jörg Berger. Sporting director Markus Krösche emphasised that Hütter's familiarity with the club's structures, environment, and personnel means he will need no settling-in period.
- Appointed Eintracht Frankfurt head coach for the first time.
- Leads Frankfurt to the Europa League semi-finals, eliminated by Chelsea.
- Reaches the DFB-Pokal semi-finals, knocked out by Bayern Munich.
- Finishes fifth in the Bundesliga; announces departure to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
- Takes over as AS Monaco head coach.
- Guides Monaco to a second-place Ligue 1 finish.
- Secures third place in Ligue 1 with Monaco.
- Dismissed by Monaco after a poor start to the 2025-26 season.
- Reappointed Eintracht Frankfurt head coach on a contract until 2029.
What lies ahead
Hütter's immediate task is to restore stability and push Frankfurt back into European contention for the 2026-27 season. His earlier career includes an Austrian league and cup double with Red Bull Salzburg and a Swiss league title with Young Boys Bern in 2018. The club and its supporters are banking on the high-intensity, attacking football he represents to rekindle the identity they felt was missing last season.
