Dino Toppmöller on his appointment at Lens: “My little Eintracht Frankfurt.” | OneFootball

Dino Toppmöller says the way he developed and sold young talent at Eintracht Frankfurt helped earn him the RC Lens job, and he expects recruitment and player growth to be central given tighter finances.

“Lens is a little like Eintracht Frankfurt, only with fewer resources because the television-rights crisis has affected all Ligue 1 clubs,” Toppmöller said, speaking to L’Équipe.

The 45-year-old succeeds Pierre Sage, who left for Crystal Palace after guiding Lens to second in Ligue 1 and winning the Coupe de France. He has also defended his Frankfurt record after the defensive collapse that preceded his January dismissal.

Willian Pacho joined Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth up to €45m after one season, with Omar Marmoush moving to Manchester City for €75m midway through his second campaign.

Hugo Ekitiké followed in summer 2025, pushing to join Liverpool after emerging as one of the Bundesliga’s leading forwards under Toppmöller, in a package potentially worth €90m.

He also pointed to the rise of Nathaniel Brown and Nnamdi Collins, who progressed to senior Germany recognition at Frankfurt. “I want to win, but the most important thing is the development of the player,” he said.

He now aims to combine that model with the intense pressing and counter-pressing he continues to demand from his teams.

Source: Get German Football News

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