Eintracht Frankfurt are reportedly preparing another attempt to bring Nottingham Forest striker Arnaud Kalimuendo back to the Bundesliga during the coming January 2027 transfer window. According to Absolutfussball, the 24-year-old Frenchman remains the Hessen club’s preferred attacking reinforcement.

Frankfurt have reportedly identified two positions requiring reinforcement in January. In addition to a centre-forward, the club intend to strengthen their fullback options. The former PSG and Rennes striker spent the second half of last season on loan at Frankfurt, scoring six goals in 19 Bundesliga appearances.

His performances prompted Eintracht to consider a permanent transfer, but the club ultimately declined to exercise a purchase option reportedly worth €27m.

Frankfurt revive Kalimuendo pursuit

The latest developments represent another chapter in Frankfurt’s prolonged efforts to retain the French attacker. As previously reported in a Get German Football News August transfer update, Eintracht pursued a second loan agreement with Nottingham Forest during the final days of the summer transfer window.

Negotiations nevertheless proved complicated. Forest reportedly demanded a transfer fee exceeding €30m, a figure that would have represented a club-record investment for Frankfurt. The Premier League outfit were also understood to prefer a permanent arrangement rather than another temporary departure.

Eintracht eventually abandoned their deadline-day pursuit, concentrating instead on completing outgoing transfers. Kalimuendo remained in England, where his prospects of regular first-team football have subsequently deteriorated.

The Frenchman has been restricted to brief appearances for Nottingham Forest this season, failing to register a goal contribution. His lack of playing time could provide Frankfurt with renewed leverage in negotiations, particularly if Forest become more receptive to another loan arrangement.

Whether the Premier League club would consider lowering its previous asking price remains unclear. No concrete financial details concerning Frankfurt’s proposed January approach have yet emerged.

Frankfurt’s attacking situation presents an intriguing question

The renewed interest is particularly noteworthy given the performances of Frankfurt’s existing centre-forwards. Jonathan Burkardt and Younes Ebnoutalib have both enjoyed productive starts to the 2026/27 campaign. The pair have continued to supply goals under Hütter, while the Austrian has increasingly emphasized the importance of managing his attacking options according to the tactical requirements of individual matches.

Both players have subsequently strengthened their respective claims. Kalimuendo would therefore arrive not as an automatic solution to an underperforming attack, but as another established Bundesliga option capable of increasing competition and providing Hütter with greater tactical flexibility.

The Frenchman’s mobility, ability to attack spaces behind opposing defensive lines, and willingness to contribute without possession would also make him an intriguing fit within Hütter’s preferred attacking approach.

Frankfurt’s wider financial and sporting circumstances add another consideration. Following Markus Krösche’s departure, the club are undergoing a significant restructuring of their sporting leadership, with a greater emphasis on financial sustainability and carefully targeted recruitment.

Kalimuendo’s previous Frankfurt spell demonstrated that he can contribute in the Bundesliga. His limited playing time at Nottingham Forest may now create more favourable negotiating conditions than those encountered during the summer.

Whether those circumstances finally allow Eintracht to secure the return of a player they have pursued for months remains an open question.