Eintracht Frankfurt has officially signed Elye Wahi from Olympique Marseille, making the announcement on January 24, 2025. The young French striker joins the Bundesliga club on a five-and-a-half-year deal, which keeps him tied to Frankfurt until 2030. His transfer, reportedly costing €26 million plus €3 million in performance-related bonuses, is seen as the club's strategic response to replacing Omar Marmoush, who recently made headlines with his lucrative move to Manchester City for €70 million.
Wahi, born on January 2, 2003, began his football career at the youth ranks of SM Caen before making his professional debut with Montpellier HSC, where he rapidly gained recognition for his scoring prowess. During his stint with Montpellier, he became the club's youngest-ever goalscorer at just 18 years of age, netting 32 goals and providing 9 assists across 85 league appearances. His standout performance came during the 2022/23 season, where he scored 19 goals, making him one of the top scorers in France.
After moving on to RC Lens for the 2023/24 season, Wahi continued to show his abilities on the pitch, contributing with 12 goals and 4 assists. He later made the switch to Marseille, where his time was short-lived, logging three goals and one assist before his departure. Wahi expressed enthusiasm about joining Eintracht Frankfurt, stating, "I’m delighted to be at Eintracht. It’s a big club with lots of positive things. I knew straight away I wanted to seize the chance to come here. I want to repay the faith shown in me with good performances and goals."
Markus Krösche, the Sporting Director of Eintracht, shared his excitement about the new signing, remarking, "We’ve been looking at Elye Wahi for some time and we are delighted he’ll be playing for Eintracht Frankfurt now. Elye is a pacey striker who is good in the box and has a superb eye for goal. He is a young player with the potential to develop, and we are confident in his qualities."
The pressure for Wahi to perform is certainly heightened due to Marmoush's departure, as the latter left behind significant contributions, scoring 15 goals and assisting 10 times last season. This transitional moment for Eintracht reflects their continuing strategy of effectively replacing talented forwards who fetch substantial transfer fees, such as previous exit examples including Randal Kolo Muani and Luka Jovic.
Playing alongside Hugo Ekitike, another promising young talent who recently made the same move from Ligue 1 to the Bundesliga, Wahi's integration appears to be part of Eintracht's ambition to establish a potent attacking lineup. Ekitike, who has also experienced success after leaving his former club, will aim to support and guide Wahi through his early days at Frankfurt.
Previously, Wahi's coach at Marseille, Roberto De Zerbi, commented on the need for the club to seek a replacement for Wahi shortly after the news broke of his transfer. "We are Marseille. We must be mindful of the financial situation, but if Elye Wahi departs, we expect to find a strong striker to fill the void," De Zerbi stated. The urgency of finding such replacements is underscored by Wahi's evident talent, highlighted by goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, who said, "I believe he is great, talented, young, and still has much to learn. I'm very happy to have shared the locker room with him."
Wahi's playing style—characterized by electrifying pace and adept finishing—offers immense promise for Eintracht. Known for his goal-scoring ability, he already has experience from high-pressure matches in both the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League. His prior performance includes pivotal goals against top teams, leaving fans anticipating what’s to come as he steps onto the field at Commerzbank-Arena wearing the number 17 jersey.
This move not only provides Wahi with the platform to showcase his strengths but also positions Eintracht Frankfurt for greater success as they vie for top positions this season. On Sunday, the team faces Hoffenheim, where Wahi is expected to be part of the squad as he embarks on this new chapter of his career.