Noah Atubolu is the new starting goalkeeper for Eintracht Frankfurt. The 24-year-old moved from SC Freiburg to the Main and is set to succeed Kauã Santos.
Atubolu signed a contract that can be extended until July 1, 2031, following a loan deal with a purchase option estimated at 15 million euros. "For me, this is the right career step," said the goalkeeper. "The move was important. I want to play many, many games." He joins a team that sits eighth in the Bundesliga table with one point from one match. They have scored three goals and conceded three, leaving them two points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
Why did Atubolu leave SC Freiburg?
Noah Atubolu was born in Freiburg and came through the youth ranks at SC Freiburg. His parents are from Nigeria. In his first professional season with the club, he made 15 appearances across the Bundesliga, Europa League, and DFB-Pokal without conceding a single goal. He set a club record of 609 minutes without conceding and saved five consecutive penalties in the Bundesliga. Despite this, he failed to secure the undisputed number one spot. The club named Mio Backhaus as his successor and released Atubolu. In August, the goalkeeper also parted ways with his agent and turned down an offer from Olympique Marseille.
How does he fit into the current squad?
At Eintracht Frankfurt, Atubolu will immediately be the first choice between the posts. Unlike his predecessor, he will not face competition for the starting position. Eintracht begin the season with several injury concerns. Ansgar Knauff and Jessic Ngankam are currently sidelined, as shown on the current injuries page. Observers consider the squad to have risks in attack and defense. Sporting director Markus Krösche faced criticism for this. However, the club's supervisory board backed Krösche, emphasizing their commitment to creating the best conditions for a successful season.
On Deadline Day, Eintracht did not sign any further new players, despite coach Adi Hütter calling for more quality. Instead, Hugo Larsson was loaned to Fulham with an obligation to buy, Jean-Matteo Bahoya to Leeds United, and Niels Nkounkou to OGC Nice. The only other new signing alongside Atubolu is French defender Lilian Brassier. The current squad overview lists all available players.
What are Atubolu's personal ambitions?
The goalkeeper grew up in the multicultural district of Weingarten in Freiburg. He describes his childhood as positive despite financial hardship. His big dream is to play for the German national team. "I am in the spotlight here in Germany," said Atubolu. "For every player, it is a dream to play for Germany." First, he must prove himself at Eintracht. His first match against his former club is already scheduled: On September 19, Eintracht Frankfurt will host SC Freiburg at the Waldstadion. Before that, a home match against fourth-placed FC Augsburg awaits on September 6, as shown in the fixtures list. Eintracht aim to secure their first win of the season there.
