“Better late than never” | OneFootball

Arnaud Kalimuendo reveals why he decided to join Eintracht, describes his style of play and explains his role in the side.

Arnaud Kalimuendo on …

… his first few days in Frankfurt: “I was made to feel very welcome by everyone – the fans, the squad and everyone around it. Everyone welcomed me with open arms, and I’m happy to be here and to be able to help the team. There are other new players, like Keita Kosugi, with whom I often travel. I really enjoy those moments. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone once again for giving me such a warm welcome here.” 

… his move to Eintracht: “It could have happened earlier, but the circumstances were different at the time. That said, it’s never too late. I’ve been here since January and am focusing on the here and now. After three years with Rennes and my spell at Nottingham Forest, I particularly wanted more playing time. I then got the offer from Frankfurt and I didn’t have any major doubts. The sporting director approached me in December and I knew there was interest. Better late than never – I’m very happy to be here. At the moment, the only thing that matters to me is helping the team on the pitch, being proactive, scoring goals and getting assists.”… the sporting situation: “It’s not ideal at the moment, we could do with a win. That said, the morale in the squad is very good. We’re capable of recovering from tough situations, like we did in Bremen, for instance. The team has a strong mentality. We want to improve together, learn from our mistakes and grow together. We’re out of the Champions League, so our full focus now is on the Bundesliga and finishing the season strongly.” 

… his position up front: “I don’t mind whether I play on my own or as part of a front two. When you have a good team, it doesn’t make much difference. I always give my all. It’s obviously unfortunate that we have a lot of injuries at the moment. Jonny Burkardt will hopefully be back soon, which is good news for the team. I’m used to the pressure of being a striker and I’ll always give my all to help the team as best I can.”

… his strengths and areas he wants to work on: “My strengths are my pace and my pressing ability. I’m a quick striker, I make good runs and I also help the team defensively. I want to continue to improve my heading and my concentration throughout the game, so that I can help the team even more and play an important role.”