Earlier this week, Markus Krosche was linked with the soon-to-be-vacant sporting director role at Premier League giants Liverpool via The Athletic.
While hardly a household name in wider footballing circles, anyone au fait with Eintracht Frankfurt’s transfer dealings will not be surprised to see Krosche mentioned in conjunction with one of the Europe’s most high-profile, behind-the-scenes positions.
Interest from the likes of Liverpool, after all, is long overdue. The supreme talent-spotter, it seems, has been spotted himself.
Since the summer of 2019, Frankfurt have lost Sebastien Haller, Luka Jovic, Ante Rebic, Filip Kostic, Andre Silva and more. In that time, they have finished fifth in the Bundesliga, won the Europa League, and qualified for the Champions League. A surprise title-tilt – Frankfurt just five points off Bayern Munich – cannot be ruled out this season either.
Rangers know only too well just how impressive Krosche’s squad-building has been; Frankfurt getting the better of the Glasgow giants in Seville nine months ago.
It’s fitting that one of his many bargain signings – Rafael Santos Borre – scored the equaliser that day too.
Eintracht Frankfurt could frustrate Rangers again
If this is to be Krosche’s final season in Germany, he’s determined to go out doing what he does best; unearthing rough diamonds, and finding cut-price replacements for some of Frankfurt’s most coveted stars.
Unfortunately for Rangers, it seems Mick Beale’s League Cup finalists are caught in Krosche’s crosshairs. Rangers, per Het Nieuwsblad, are keeping tabs on Royal Antwerp defender William Pacho; identifying the 21-year-old Ecuadorian as a likely successor for the injury-prone and out-of-contract Filip Helander.
It just so happens, however, that Frankfurt are in the market for a left-footed centre-half of their own. Evan Ndicka, Sport1 say, has already agreed terms over a move to La Liga leaders Barcelona. Pacho, it seems, is his readymade successor.
“We will continue to spend money on top players who we can be sure will help us,” Krosche tells BILD, all-but confirming that Frankfurt will have cash with which to splash during the summer.
Die Adler, BILD add, are planning to pay around £8 million for Pacho. A fee that probably brings an early end to any hopes Rangers may have had of snatching the former Independiente del Valle youngster from under the noses of their Europa League final foes.
At this point, the best hope Rangers have is that Ndicka decides against Barcelona, performs an unexpected U-turn and puts pen to paper on a new deal at Frankfurt.
