"We exchanged views" – Eintracht boss lifts lid on decisive summer talks with Can Uzun | OneFootball

After joining Eintracht Frankfurt from 1. FC Nürnberg in the summer of 2024, Can Uzun needed time to settle into the Bundesliga and adjust to his new surroundings.

Now, at 19, the forward has emerged as a key figure, scoring six goals and providing four assists in his first seven appearances of the season.

As Eintracht’s managing director for sport Markus Krösche revealed in an interview with Kicker, Uzun’s breakthrough was helped by a frank conversation over the summer.

Krösche was keen to prevent impatience and frustration from creeping in after a debut season in which Uzun was used mainly from the bench.

“We exchanged views,” Krösche told kicker.

“As a club, we were 100 percent satisfied with his first year. He joined us as an 18-year-old, and for his age he did very well. Especially since the competition in attack with players like Omar Marmoush, Hugo Ekitiké, Mario Götze and Ansgar Knauff was fierce. Still, Can played around 1,000 minutes in competitive matches,” the Eintracht boss explained.

“It was important to make sure that he and his camp could also be satisfied with the season. He should play with joy and not put too much pressure on himself.”

One area the club highlighted for improvement was his defensive contribution.

“Can has outstanding abilities. But we also told him he needs to apply himself more consistently in his work off the ball, because then he won’t just play in many games but also deliver goals and assists. He took that on board from day one. The key is putting last season into the right perspective and focusing on the positives. He has the inner calm and the enjoyment to bring his qualities onto the pitch.”