Release at his own request

Eintracht Frankfurt announced on Sunday, 18 October 2026, that sporting director Markus Krösche has been released with immediate effect at his own request. The supervisory board decided on the matter in an extraordinary meeting that Sunday, and the 46-year-old's contract, which runs until 30 June 2028, continues in adjusted form. The club described good, open and trusting talks between Krösche and supervisory board chairman Mathias Beck over the sporting present and future of the club. Krösche had been linked with AC Milan in June, but that move did not happen, and he leaves without moving directly to another club.

Beck, who is also the club's president, explained the decision in a statement issued by the club.

“Markus Krösche has decisively shaped Eintracht Frankfurt in recent years.”

Beck said the board had respected Krösche's request for immediate release and approved it at the supervisory board meeting.

Succession and next steps

Axel Hellmann takes over Krösche's duties on an interim basis and moves up from board spokesman to chairman of the board. Hellmann has sat on the board since 2012 and holds a contract that runs until 30 June 2031. The club said the long-term occupation of the sporting department will be decided in the coming weeks. Its statement did not name a successor. Both sides wanted to create clarity before the upcoming members' meeting, where Krösche intends to say farewell in person.

Five years in Frankfurt

Krösche took office in summer 2021 after earlier posts at SC Paderborn and RB Leipzig, and the club won the Europa League in May 2022 during his tenure. His transfer dealings brought large sales: Omar Marmoush went to Manchester City for 75 million euros, Hugo Ekitiké to Liverpool for just under 100 million euros, and Randal Kolo Muani to Paris for more than 90 million euros. Those deals helped establish him as one of the top managers in German professional football.

Krösche described the period in his own words after the announcement.

“The past years at Eintracht Frankfurt have been an extraordinary, intense and unforgettable time for me.”

He also explained his reasoning, saying he had felt for some time that he needed a change.

“For some time I have developed the feeling that I need a change, and that a new impulse might perhaps also help Eintracht.”

Criticism before the exit

Krösche faced criticism early in the season, particularly over the appointment of coach Albert Riera, which was seen as a big mistake. The coach change from Riera to Adi Hütter came after a poor Bundesliga season, and the club now faces a fresh start in sporting leadership too. Krösche was also blamed for the weak price-performance ratio of the squad last season. A slow transfer summer caused unrest, as did a property purchase in Croatia. Krösche's contract runs until 30 June 2028 in adjusted form, and the club has not named a successor.