Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt have reportedly reached an agreement over the transfer of Ellyes Skhiri back to his old Bundesliga club, dramatically reviving a return that appeared to have been abandoned only weeks ago. Sport Bild reports the two Bundesliga clubs have settled the terms of a deal for the 31-year-old midfielder. The remaining obstacle is Skhiri’s salary demand. Cologne are reportedly prepared to offer the Tunisia international approximately €1.5m per year. Skhiri currently ranks among Frankfurt’s higher earners and has yet to accept the proposed terms.
Get German Football Newsreported in late July that Skhiri had been granted permission to negotiate a departure from Eintracht Frankfurt. The midfielder was omitted from Adi Hütter’s training-camp squad after being informed that he no longer featured prominently in the club’s plans. A return to Köln initially appeared one of the most logical solutions. That option subsequently seemed dead, however.
GGFNreported during Köln’s pursuit of Wolfsburg midfielder Vinicius Souza that Skhiri was no longer considered an option at the RheinEnergieStadion. Köln had elected to explore alternative solutions for René Wagner’s midfield instead. That position was reinforced again only recently when GGFNcovered Sevilla’s emerging interest in Skhiri. At that stage, Köln were understood to have dropped their pursuit entirely.
Salary remains obstacle to Ellyes Skhiri Cologne reunion
Skhiri’s return would address an obvious need in Köln’s midfield, where Tom Krauß, Ísak Jóhannesson and summer signing Paul Okon-Engstler currently represent Wagner’s main central options. The veteran already knows the club exceptionally well. Skhiri joined Köln from Montpellier for approximately €6m in 2019 and developed into one of their most important players. He made 133 competitive appearances for the club and contributed to 28 goals before departing for Frankfurt on a free transfer in 2023.
Skhiri has since made 117 appearances for Eintracht, although his role declined last season. The additions of Raphael Onyedika and Noël Aséko have further reduced his prospects under Hütter. Skhiri also enters the final year of his SGE contract. The RheinMainAdler remain eager to cash in on the 86-times-capped international, who still maintains a €5m estimated market value. The two clubs have ironed out the terms of the transfer. Skhiri will still have to lower his salary expectations in order to facilitate the move.