Official | Niels Nkounkou leaves Saint-Etienne for Eintracht Frankfurt | OneFootball

Saint-Etienne left-back Niels Nkounkou (22) has joined Eintracht Frankfurt and put pen to paper over a five-year deal, both clubs have officially announced.

The France U21 international was signed from Everton on an initial loan deal back in January with an option to buy, and enjoyed a breakout half-season in the second tier, with six goals and eight assists. Nkounkou was a key factor with Les Verts staving off the prospect of a National 1 relegation battle in the spring.

Unbeknownst to Nkounkou, Saint-Etienne then triggered his permanent option. However, the former Everton man had little to no intention of staying put at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. He had been pushing for a move away this summer with Saint-Etienne standing firm and rejecting several bids from Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Bundesliga outfit eventually found a €7.5 agreement with Saint-Etienne. Nkounkou is now tied with the Adler (Eagles) with a contract running until 2028.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval