Eintracht Frankfurt head into the final stretch of pre-season with mixed signals, after a 5-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday brought a sharp reality check following an encouraging 5-1 friendly win over local rivals FSV Frankfurt just days earlier. The Brentford result is not a crisis in itself, but it underlines the work still ahead for Adi Hütter as he attempts to rebuild a squad that missed European football entirely last season, ending a six-year run of continental competition.

Hütter's rebuild is the central story at the club right now. According to reports from Bild, he is seeking experienced, vocal players with leadership qualities, with the current group described as too quiet. A striker remains the priority. Eintracht have been linked with VfB Stuttgart's Ermedin Demirovic, though Stuttgart's public stance makes that deal look unlikely. On-loan forward Arnaud Kalimuendo is another option the club would prefer to sign permanently, though the fee required would exceed 20 million euros. Before any arrivals, Frankfurt must first move on surplus attackers including Elye Wahi, Jessic Ngankam, Michy Batshuayi, and Noel Futkeu.

Off the pitch, the departure of former coach Albert Riera continues to cast a shadow. Riera, who won just four of 14 matches after replacing Dino Toppmöller in February, is now set to take charge at Red Star Belgrade. His exit from Frankfurt was messy, marked by a public Instagram attack on club CEO Axel Hellmann. Hellmann, meanwhile, has been vocal on broader football matters, publicly criticising FIFA over conduct at the recent World Cup.

Frankfurt open their competitive season on August 21 in the DFB-Pokal against DJK Teutonia St. Tönis, before the Bundesliga campaign begins on August 29 at Union Berlin.