Possible Bundesliga move to rivals for Socceroo

Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt may use the January transfer window to send Socceroo Ajdin Hrustic to their German rivals. Two other European clubs have also been reported to have expressed interest in the Australian.

The Socceroo joined the German side ahead of the 2020-21 season from Dutch side Groningen. While Frankfurt made quite the spectacle of acquiring the Australian, Hrustic never became a regular fixture in then-head coach Adi Hütter's starting lineup.

The winger made a handful of appearances his first season and only got one start in the Bundesliga. His fortunes did not improve after Hütter's departure this past northern hemisphere summer with new head coach Oliver Glasner keeping Hrustic in a largely peripheral role.

Moreover, when Hrustic is used by Frankfurt, it has been as a defensive midfielder which not in his preferred position. The possible arrival of winger Faride Alidou who has been heavily linked with the club may only worsen the Australian's starting prospects.

Socceroos' assistant coach Rene Muelensteen spoke to FTBL earlier this month about the desire by the Australian national team to have its best players playing every game possible, something Hrustic is not doing currently at club side.

This may change in the coming month as the Socceroo is now linked with a move away from Frankfurt to a number of European clubs.

German daily paper Frankfurter Rundschau reported on December 23 that Eintracht's Bundesliga rivals FC Augsburg are working on a possible acquisition of Hrustic, during the upcoming January transfer window which opens on January 1, 2022 in Germany.

According to the previous report by FTBL, Italian Serie A side Fiorentina and Spanish La Liga side Real Betis are also interested in acquiring the Socceroo. At present his contract with Eintracht Frankfurt runs until June 2023.

Whether he stays with the club or moves to another side, more regular playing time will hopefully be the result.