Eintracht Frankfurt are on the verge of resolving their goalkeeper crisis, with a loan move for SC Freiburg's Noah Atubolu now looking more likely than ever. As reported by kicker, Atubolu has extended his Freiburg contract beyond 2027, an unusual step that removes the key obstacle to a loan deal with a purchase obligation. Frankfurt want him in goal for Saturday's Bundesliga opener at Union Berlin, and contact between the two clubs has been ongoing since Sunday evening.

The urgency stems from a summer that exposed serious problems between the posts. A 0-7 pre-season loss to Brentford left coach Adi Hütter unwilling to start the season with either Kaua Santos or Michael Zetterer as his number one. Zetterer has since moved closer to a move to Leeds United, according to kicker, after visiting the club last weekend, clearing further space for Atubolu. Freiburg coach Julian Schuster has publicly acknowledged Frankfurt as a serious destination, and Atubolu himself committed to the move after earlier talks with Olympique Marseille broke down.

Elsewhere in the squad, Frankfurt confirmed that striker Elye Wahi will return to OGC Nizza on loan, as announced by the club. The 23-year-old cost 26 million euros from Marseille in January 2025 but scored just once in 25 appearances, and Nizza hold a purchase option. With the Bundesliga season beginning this weekend and Frankfurt sitting sixth in an as-yet unplayed table, sporting director Markus Krösche must finalise the goalkeeper situation and address defensive gaps before the window closes on September 1.