Rasmus Kristensen is impressing out on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt and it is good news for Leeds United who will be hoping he can do well enough to earn himself a permanent move.
Like seven others in the summer of 2023, Kristensen used Victor Orta’s loan clause to escape Elland Road and join a new club on loan following relegation. He accompanied Diego Llorente to Italian giants Roma.
But he struggled for game time with competition aplenty. Roma boasted Zeki Celik and Rick Karsdorp and it saw Kristensen left out of Roma’s Europa League squad, only able to play in domestic competitions.
Obviously, Roma did not extend his loan and after representing Denmark at Euro 2024, Kristensen had to sort out his future. But like Jack Harrison, Orta’s loan clause was active for another summer.
Rasmus Kristensen shines on Sunday in Eintracht Frankfurt win
Having joined Llorente at Roma, he chose to join Robin Koch at Frankfurt. Koch is back in the Germany squad as he continues to captain Frankfurt, while Kristensen is finding his form again before an injury.
So much so, that Frankfurt are already planning on buying Kristensen. He had started 12 of Frankfurt’s first 13 games befor a hamstring issue but after coming on as a sub on Thursday, he started on Sunday.
A 4-0 win over Heidenheim away from home, as Kristensen lasted the entire 90 minutes. Frankfurter Rundschau delivered their verdict on Kristensen’s performance, under the sub-title of “Doing Well.”
“Committed as ever, marching forward at every opportunity. Doing so courageously. Gesticulating, directing, speaking – just like leaders do,” FR reported on Kristensen’s first 90 minutes since October.
Why did Kristensen not play as well as he is doing, at Leeds?
Kristensen is not the only player to have struggled for Leeds but is since thriving following an exit. Koch had to endure injury but is thriving at Frankfurt now, Diego Llorente is the same over at Real Betis.
The Dane joined during Jesse Marsch’s era and while he worked under Marsch previously at Salzburg, Marsch’s tactics simply did not work for a team that were always going to be locked in a relegation scrap.
| Games (Starts) | Wins | Clean sheets | Goals | Assists | FotMob rating |
| 14 (13) | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7.02 |
Kristensen’s strengths are being able to fly forward and join the attack. At Frankfurt, he is given license to do that, to get goals and assists – which he has done in Germany. At Leeds, it meant he was caught out.
It is clear in his career that Kristensen has to play for a side flying high in the league. At Salzburg, he starred because they are Austria’s best side and at Frankfurt, a side pushing for Europe qualification.
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