6 Players Unearthed by Eintracht Frankfurt's Talent Spotter Who Can Replicate Luka Jovic's Success

Eintracht Frankfurt have confirmed the sale of star striker Luka Jović to Real Madrid for a reported €60m transfer fee, just two years after the Serbia
6 Players Unearthed by Eintracht Frankfurt's Talent Spotter Who Can Replicate Luka Jovic's Success
6 Players Unearthed by Eintracht Frankfurt's Talent Spotter Who Can Replicate Luka Jovic's Success /

Eintracht Frankfurt have confirmed the sale of star striker Luka Jović to Real Madrid for a reported €60m transfer fee, just two years after the Serbia international first arrived in Hesse as an unknown talent from Benfica.

An initial loan fee of just €200k saw Jović join Frankfurt in 2017, while sporting director Fredi Bobic also negotiated an option to buy the then teenager for €7m, and his departure has now broken the club's all-time record sale more than six times over.

47-year-old Bobic has quickly been earning a reputation for his work in the transfer market during his short stint at the Commerzbank-Arena. Here are six other players snapped up by the German who could go on to make headlines at the top end of the transfer market.

Filip Kostić

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Alex Grimm/GettyImages

Serbia international Filip Kostić only spent last season on loan with Eintracht after his parent side Hamburger SV were relegated from the Bundesliga, and their failure to return to the top flight will see the 26-year-old move to Frankfurt am Main on a permanent basis this summer.

But it's not just the last few years that Fredi Bobic has been a keen fan of Kostić's, as one of the 47-year-old's last acts at VfB Stuttgart was to sign him from Dutch side FC Groningen.

Kostić arrived in Germany as an exciting forward but has been moved into a slightly more defensive role at Eintracht Frankfurt, starring for the Eagles this season as their go-to left wing-back under new manager Adi Hütter.

He made 46 appearances in all competitions for Eintracht, reaching double figures in both goals and assists - making him the most dangerous defensive player in the opposition's final third last season.

Bought For: €6m (2014) & €6.6m (2019)

Tuta

Fans at the Commerzbank-Arena still haven't been given a chance to see what January signing Lucas Silva Melo, known more commonly as 'Tuta', has to offer the Eintracht Frankfurt first-team.

But if Bobic's track record in the transfer market is anything to go by then the former São Paulo academy star will be one to keep an eye on years to come.

"We’ll give him the time and the opportunity to develop here," Bobic said upon Tuta's arrival, quoted by the club's official website. "We’ve been watching him closely for a while and are convinced by his potential."

Bought For: €1.8m

Danny da Costa

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Maja Hitij/GettyImages

Just two years ago, full-back Danny da Costa was sitting on the outskirts of Bayer Leverkusen's first-team with just a handful of first-team appearances under his belt, having picked up most of his senior experience lower down the ladder with FC Ingolstadt.

Eintracht's Bobic snapped da Costa up for less than €1m, and he's gone on to establish himself as one of the Bundesliga's best full-backs.

Combining pace, power and even a threat in front of goal (he scored a brace against Lazio in the Europa League group stages), da Costa is making himself known to scouts across the continent thanks to his performances in Frankfurt.

Having signed a new deal as recently as December, however, it would take a hefty fee to lure da Costa away from the Commerzbank-Arena.

Bought For: €900k

Ante Rebić

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Alexander Hassenstein/GettyImages

Although Luka Jović's move to Real Madrid has put his loan, turned permanent deal, into the spotlight as one of Eintracht Frankfurt's biggest successes in the transfer market, it was a winning formula which was first made popular thanks to Ante Rebić.

The Croatia international arrived at the club as a stalling talent from Fiorentina, having made just a dozen appearances with La Viola.

After two separate loan spells at the Commerzbank-Arena, Rebić secured a €2m move Frankfurt on a permanent basis, where he's gone on to make almost 100 appearances for the club, as well as establish himself as one of Croatia's best players.

Bought For: €2m

Evan N'Dicka

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ROBERT MICHAEL/GettyImages

Defender Evan N'Dicka has only spent one season with Eintracht Frankfurt following his switch from AJ Auxerre, where he'd spent six years working up through their youth system before breaking into the first-team at 17.

Now 19, N'Dicka has wasted no time at all in establishing himself as one of the Bundesliga's biggest defensive talents, alongside his compatriots from RB Leipzig, Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konaté.

The France Under-20 international made 36 appearances across all competitions last season and was a vital part of their journey to the Europa League semi-finals.

Bought For: €5.5m

Sébastien Haller

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Alex Grimm/GettyImages

While Luka Jović might have grabbed the headlines for the Eagles last season, it was clear to see that his strike partner Sébastien Haller was the player who brought the best out of Eintracht Frankfurt's clinical Serb.

The former France Under-21 international only joined the club from Dutch side Utrecht in 2017, but Haller's ability either as a lone frontman or playing in a two has made him a fan favourite not just with Frankfurt but across the entire Bundesliga.

Having picked up 20 goals and 12 assists last season, the 24-year-old has a lot more to offer at Europe's top table than simply being a good partner for Jović's, and it's no surprise that Haller is also being linked with moves away from Frankfurt this summer.

Bought For: €7m

All 'Transfer Costs' are taken from Transfermarkt and include any previous loan fees prior to joining Eintracht Frankfurt permanently.


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