The biggest story at Eintracht Frankfurt right now has nothing to do with what happens on the pitch. Sporting director Markus Krösche departed the club on Sunday evening after over five years in charge, with Frankfurt confirming they had agreed to his immediate release. As reported after his exit, Krösche is now closing in on a role at AC Milan, with transfer expert Matteo Moretto indicating that intensive talks have taken place and the two parties are near an agreement. It is a move that had been rumoured since the summer, when Milan first identified Krösche as their preferred candidate.

The departure caps a turbulent period for Frankfurt's football operations. Krösche had drawn criticism for appointing Albert Riera as head coach last season, a decision he later publicly acknowledged as a mistake. The squad's poor value for money and a difficult transfer window added to the pressure. Axel Hellmann has now been elevated to chief executive following an extraordinary board meeting.

On the pitch, Frankfurt sit 14th after seven Bundesliga games with eight points, having lost 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Trainer Adi Hütter has also been publicly critical of forward Can Uzun this week, urging the young attacker to show more consistency and understand the collective demands of the game. Frankfurt travel to Hamburg in the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday, a competition that now offers a welcome chance to build momentum away from the boardroom turbulence.