Eintracht Frankfurt interested in bringing Brentford’s Vitaly Janelt back to Germany | OneFootball

Sport Bild reports that Eintracht Frankfurt are interested in bringing Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt back to German football. The 27-year-old – who has yet to make a Bundesliga appearance – has spent the last six years playing in West London. Janelt will be available on a free transfer once his current contract with his Premier League club expires at the end of the season. 

Janelt came up through the RB Leipzig academy ranks before moving to VfL Bochum in 2016. The Hamburg-native featured for the Revierklub, first on loan and then as a permanent fixture, for four seasons between 2016 and 2020. Janelt ended up making 53 2. Bundesliga appearances for Bochum before departing for the Isle in October 2020. 

Brentford purchased Janelt from Bochum for a paltry transfer fee of €600,000. Since then, the defensive midfielder/centre-back/fullback has made 139 Premier League appearances and raised his estimated market value up to €20m. SGE board-member-for-sport Markus Krösche – who once wanted to bring Janelt to SC Paderborn 07 – is said to be especially keen on the player. 

Janelt’s expiring contract means that a move on a free transfer can be negotiated as early as this January. Eintracht could also bring Janelt in for the second half of this season for a reasonable fee. Other potential targets for the midfield/defensive ranks (Raphael Onyedika (24), FC Bruges, Sergi Altimira (24) Real Betis, and Ismaël Doukouré (22), RC Strasbourg) are all likely to cost more than €20m.

Janelty made ten appearances for Germany at U21 level and was one of the players who captured the UEFA U21 European Championship under Stefan Kuntz in 2021. He never made another appearance for country again despite the fact that then German Bundestrainer Hansi Flick was thought to be interested in taking him on. 

Whether or not Janelt himself has any interest in reviving his Germany career nevertheless isn’t clear. Janelt was recently granted Bosnian citizenship in an apparently effort to represent Bosnia & Herzegovina at senior international level. The Bundesliga could still prove a useful proving ground for him should he wish to return to his native country.

GGFN | Peter Weis