Ellyes Skhiri ‘to return’ to Cologne, salary demands delay move | OneFootball

According to Sport Bild, Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt have agreed a deal to bring 31-year-old Ellyes Skhiri back to his former club, but the move is being held up by salary demands.

Cologne are prepared to offer the Tunisia international about €1.5m per year. Skhiri is among Frankfurt’s higher earners and has not accepted the terms.

In late July he was permitted to seek a departure and was left out of Adi Hütter’s training camp after being told he was no longer central to plans. A return to Cologne first looked logical, then faded as the club pursued Wolfsburg’s Vinicius Souza and Sevilla showed interest.

His return would fill a clear gap in René Wagner’s midfield, where Tom Krauß, Ísak Jóhannesson and summer signing Paul Okon-Engstler are the main central choices.

Skhiri joined Cologne from Montpellier for about €6m in 2019, making 133 competitive appearances with 28 goal contributions before leaving for Frankfurt on a free in 2023. He has since played 117 times for Eintracht, his role shrinking last season as Raphael Onyedika and Noël Aséko arrived. He is in the final year of his contract and Frankfurt are keen to cash in, with his market value estimated at €5m.

Source: Get German Football News

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