Noah Atubolu could become the latest Nigerian-eligible player to join Eintracht Frankfurt, with the German club closing in on a deal for the SC Freiburg goalkeeper.
The transfer has moved a step closer after Freiburg and Atubolu reportedly agreed on the framework of a new contract. Kicker reports that the fresh agreement would allow Freiburg to send the goalkeeper out on loan without putting the club’s financial position at risk.
Frankfurt are understood to be exploring a temporary deal because Freiburg’s asking price of approximately €15m is considered too high for an immediate permanent transfer. The proposed arrangement could include an option for Frankfurt to make the move permanent at a later stage.
Atubolu had previously been reluctant to commit his future to Freiburg as he looked for an opportunity elsewhere. The 24-year-old was particularly keen on a Premier League move, with Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Hull City among the clubs linked with him, but none of those approaches resulted in a transfer.
His situation at Freiburg changed following the arrival of Mio Backhaus from Werder Bremen. Backhaus has been brought in to take the No. 1 spot, leaving Atubolu facing increased competition for regular playing time.
Before that development, Atubolu had established himself as Freiburg’s first-choice goalkeeper for three consecutive seasons. He made 36 Bundesliga appearances during the 2025/26 campaign and helped the club reach the Europa League final.
The goalkeeper has also been involved with Germany at international level. Although he has received senior-team invitations, he was not included in Germany’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. His 22 appearances for the German U-21 team also mean he remains eligible to switch allegiance to Nigeria, having yet to play for Germany’s senior side in a competitive fixture.
Frankfurt’s interest in the position intensified after they were thrashed 7-0 by Brentford during pre-season, exposing concerns over their goalkeeping options.
Should the move go through, Atubolu would link up with Raphael Onyedika, who recently arrived at Frankfurt from Club Brugge on a five-year deal.
Onyedika has already enjoyed a strong introduction to life at his new club. The Nigerian midfielder received a 9.1 SofaScore rating after featuring in Frankfurt’s emphatic 11-0 victory over SC St. Tönis in the DFB-Pokal, a result that marked the club’s biggest-ever win in the competition.
The midfielder is the sixth Nigerian to play for Frankfurt, following Isaac Ojigwe, Donald Agu, Nduka Anyanwu, Henry Isaac and former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha.
