Frankfurt did it again

Frankfurt did it again, and they once again sold a player to European giants at a sky-high price: Ekitic joined Liverpool for a fixed price of 90 million euros + 5 million euros.

For many years, Frankfurt has been confidently known as the true king of the German transfer market. However, what about the players who have recorded record transfer fees and are among the top players in the world football world after leaving?

Jovic → Real Madrid

Season: 2019/20 season

Transfer fee: 63 million euros

Jovic made his mark in Germany during his loan from Benfica to Frankfurt. The 2018/19 season became his outbreak year, with the Serbian striker scoring 27 goals in all competitions. His performance in the UEFA Cup was particularly impressive, with his goals and assists, Frankfurt knocked out Donetsk Miners, Inter Milan and Benfica to the semi-finals, and was eventually blocked by Chelsea. Jovic scored goals in both legions of the semifinals (even in penalty shootouts), but that was still not enough to help them advance to the finals.

Jovic was confident, strong, bold and aggressive in playing football. He quickly attracted the interest of top European clubs and eventually joined Real Madrid.

His days in the Spanish capital were not going well from the beginning. Jovic has few opportunities to play, and even if he plays, it is difficult to convince Zidane's coaching staff. Injuries soon followed. Only 2 goals were scored in the first season at the Bernabeu, which was undoubtedly a cruel reality blow to a star striker who joined at such a high price.

The following season, he played less, so that in that winter, Frankfurt took action to save the situation. He returned to the familiar German environment in the second half of the 2020/21 season, where he gained a steady playing time and even scored some goals (4 goals and 1 assist in 18 Bundesliga games). His return to Real Madrid, however, only further highlights his failure in Spain.

Jovic regained himself in the Fiorentine part, scoring 13 goals and contributing 3 assists in the 2022/23 season, winning him the opportunity to transfer to AC Milan. But after two years of playing for the Ross and Blacks (13 goals in 47 games), the 27-year-old Serbian striker is now free.

There are reports that Borussia Mönchengladbach is interested in him. To be honest, why not go back to the place that once made him the most successful?

Ale → West Ham United

Season: 2019/20 season

Transfer fee: 50 million euros

The other striker who fought side by side with Jovic and destroyed the city for the "Eagle" was Sebastian Alle. Frankfurt signed him from the Utre Detachment in the Netherlands at his peak, and the 7 million euros spent (later increased to 12 million euros due to the second transfer share clause) proved to be a great investment.

Ale contributed an astonishing 52 goals or assists in two seasons in Frankfurt, and then transferred to the Premier League to join West Ham United for €50 million. He made a lot of appearances in London and even started well, but as time went on, the players and teams were obviously not suitable. Everyone saw this, and by the winter window of 2021, Alai returned to Eredivisie.

In Ajax, he contributed 20 goals or assists in just half a season, and the following year he delivered an astonishing report card of 34 goals and 9 assists. His performance deeply touched Dortmund, who signed him as a replacement for Haaland without hesitation. And if it weren't for that cruel testicular tumor, who knew what would have happened...

Alai was surprisingly quick to return to the court, scoring goals, assists, and almost became the Bundesliga champion with Dortmund, but the impact of the disease finally came to him. His form declined and lost his starting position, while his status as a maximum-paid player on the team forced the club management to seek various solutions.

Last season, he was loaned to Leganes but failed, but after returning to Utrecht in the second half of the season, he regained his love for football. Despite being far from his best, Alle is currently a Dortmund player and may serve as a substitute for Gilasi next season.

Linderstrom → Naples

Season: 2023/24 Season

Transfer fee: 30 million euros

In Frankfurt, Linderstrom not only proved that he is an excellent midfielder, but also a versatile attacker who can perform well at any position on the front line. By the summer of 2023, it's clear that he's ready to take the next big step in his career.

In addition to Naples, he attracted strong interest from Leipzig, Newcastle and Milan, but in the end it was the Naples who most actively won his signing.

However, the smile came to an abrupt end after his official debut as a Naples player. During his Serie A debut season, the Danes were not just disappointing, he was a complete failure. Only 587 minutes of all the games, zero goals and zero assists, unfortunately, there was only a sense of frustration.

loan to Everton was supposed to help Lindstrang restart his form, but this actually put him in a deeper trough (29 appearances and only 1 assist).

His last goal in his career dates back to January 2023, so the new loan transfer announced on July 23 provides a new opportunity to put all negative emotions behind his head. The conditions are quite favorable, and the familiar Bundesliga environment and the many compatriots in the team will help him adapt..

Muani → Paris Saint-Germain

Season: 2023/24 season

Transfer fee: 95 million euros

Let's look back at the summer of 2023, the representative of Paris Saint-Germain almost knelt down and begged Frankfurt to sell Muani to them.

This is not surprising. Almost every game in Frankfurt in the 2022/23 season is a stunning display of the French striker's talent. Fans have calculated that Muani's contribution alone won 19 points for Frankfurt in the Bundesliga that season, highlighting his huge influence on the team.

On the last day of the summer window, the two clubs finally reached a transfer agreement for 95 million euros. However, for Muani, transferring Paris has gone from a dream to a nightmare, at least on the football level. At first things looked promising: playing time, good goals, good chemistry with Louis Enrique. But gradually, everything fell apart. Muani became a rotation player and later regarded as a redundant person by the disciplined Spanish coach.

The Frenchman performed well during his loan to Juventus in the second half of last season (10 goals and 3 assists in 22 games in various competitions), and may continue to stay in Turin next season. However, his current market value is only €30 million, which is obviously no longer the striker that Frankfurt originally sold for €95 million.

Pacho → Paris Saint-Germain

Season: 2024/25 season

Transfer fee: 40 million euros

Paccho is undoubtedly the only player on this list who has completely smooth transfer process. After playing for just one season in Frankfurt, he joined Paris Saint-Germain, and Louis Enrique immediately made him a true leader in the back line.

In the 57 games last season, Pacho started 50 games, of which 43 of them played for 90 minutes. Although his contribution may have been overlooked by the shining performances of the team's offensive stars, he played a major role in this historic season of the Parisians.

Pacho is an excellent example of a truly talented young player who is logically developing and improving. His new challenge is to prove the same strength over a longer period of time.

Malmush → Manchester City

Season: 2024/25 season

Transfer fee: 75 million euros

Time has passed, but the fact that Frankfurt signed Marmush for free in the summer of 2023 is still impressive. He performed extremely well for the "Eagles" in the first half of last season, contributing 20 goals and 14 assists in only 26 games in various competitions, which is impossible not to attract attention. Therefore, it is not surprising that he transfers to Manchester City for a price of up to €75 million.

It is hard to say that Malmush is facing personal difficulties at Manchester City. Instead, he has shown an equally positive and relentless performance since his debut for the new team, which is clearly reflected in his statistics. Eight goals and three assists (including a hat-trick against Newcastle) mark a very solid start, especially given that City is experiencing its biggest crisis in years.

The upcoming season should answer all questions, especially with De Bruyne leaving, it will be extremely interesting to watch how the Egyptian international stands up.