Eintracht Frankfurt Coach Hütter Backs Goalkeeper Santos Amid Transfer Talks

Adi Hütter is standing by his goalkeeper – at least for now.

The returning Eintracht Frankfurt coach confirmed that Brazilian stopper Santos will start the upcoming cup tie, even as debate over his future rages after the 7-0 humiliation at Brentford FC.

“Santos will play,” Hütter said on Wednesday, before quickly drawing a line under any firm commitment on the transfer front. On the question of signing a new keeper, he kept the door wide open: “Then we will see what else happens in future.”

That heavy defeat in London has dragged an old topic back into the spotlight. The 23-year-old has long divided opinion, and the seven-goal collapse against the Premier League side has only intensified scrutiny. Local reports suggest Hütter’s trust in Santos has eroded, and the club is actively weighing alternatives.

Names are already in circulation. Noah Atubolu of SC Freiburg and former Eintracht favourite Lukas Hradecky, currently at AS Monaco, are being discussed as potential signings. Hütter, though, refused to be drawn into specifics – not about goalkeepers, not about any other position. On reinforcements, he stayed tight-lipped.

If the goalkeeping situation feels uncertain, one pillar at least looks set to stand firm in the cup: Robin Koch. The captain and defensive organiser suffered a mild concussion in the Brentford debacle, raising fears he could miss the first competitive match of the season. Hütter moved to calm those worries.

“I assume he will play,” the Austrian said, underlining Koch’s importance at the heart of the back line.

The reaction to the Brentford loss has been anything but casual. Hütter sat down with his squad and went through the performance in detail. No sugar-coating, no excuses.

“Something like that is absolutely not on in that form,” he stressed. The team, he added, had carried out a “clear analysis.” His conclusion was blunt: the 0-7 had to serve as a warning shot.

Now comes the real test. Santos keeps the gloves for the cup. Koch is expected to marshal the defence. What happens next will decide whether this was just a brutal wake-up call in pre-season – or the start of a full-scale reshaping of Frankfurt’s spine.