Onyedika: Why Frankfurt ditched Bayer Leverkusen’s Andrich for Super Eagles star

Eintracht Frankfurt have completed a major piece of business by agreeing a deal to sign Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika from Belgian champions Club Brugge, Afrik-Foot reports.

Following the breakthrough in the transfer of Onyedika, Frankfurt have effectively ended their interest in Bayer Leverkusen veteran Robert Andrich.

Frankfurt have reached an agreement with Club Brugge worth around €9 million for the 25-year-old defensive midfielder. The deal comes after the Belgian club accepted an improved offer as Onyedika entered the final year of his contract.

The Nigerian international is now travelling to Germany to complete his medical before signing a long-term contract that will keep him at Frankfurt until 2030. The Bundesliga club are expected to officially unveil him once the final paperwork and medical examinations are completed.

Frankfurt have also strengthened their defence by agreeing a €4.5 million deal for centre-back Otavio from Estrela Amadora as they continue rebuilding the squad ahead of the new Bundesliga campaign.

The arrival of Onyedika has brought an end to Frankfurt’s pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Robert Andrich. German newspaper BILD reports that the club have cooled their interest in the 31-year-old after finalising their preferred midfield target.

Before completing the Onyedika transfer, Frankfurt had explored signing Andrich and even held discussions with his representatives. Bayer Leverkusen were open to a sale for around €10 million, but no formal negotiations between the two clubs ever took place.

The move also gathered pace because Onyedika quickly agreed personal terms, while Frankfurt’s improved offer saw off late interest from Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad. Turkish champions Galatasaray also stepped back from the race, allowing the Bundesliga club to secure their man.

Why Frankfurt chose Onyedika instead of Andrich

Frankfurt’s decision was driven by a combination of tactical planning, long-term strategy, financial value and the speed of negotiations.

The club wanted a specialist holding midfielder to balance the qualities of new signing Noël Aséko, who recently joined from Bayern Munich. Aséko is known for his energy, pressing and forward runs, meaning Frankfurt needed a disciplined defensive midfielder to sit deeper and protect the back four. That role perfectly suits Onyedika.

The Super Eagles star has built a reputation as a powerful ball winner who shields the defence, breaks up attacks and allows more attacking teammates to push forward. His style gives Frankfurt the balance they were looking for in midfield.

Andrich, despite his experience, offers a different profile. The Germany international is more of a box-to-box midfielder who likes to push forward, shoot from distance and influence attacks. Frankfurt believed that style would not complement Aséko as naturally as Onyedika’s defensive approach.

Age was another important factor. At 25, Onyedika is entering the prime years of his career. Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krösche has built a reputation for signing younger players who can improve further and eventually command high transfer fees. A contract until 2030 also gives the club security and potential resale value in the future.

Andrich, meanwhile, is 31. Although he brings leadership and championship-winning experience after helping Bayer Leverkusen win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, he would have been a short-term solution with little resale value.

The financial side also favoured the Nigerian midfielder. Because Club Brugge risked losing Onyedika for free next summer, they lowered their asking price from around €10 million to approximately €9 million. Frankfurt saw that as excellent value for a player with extensive European experience, including 24 UEFA Champions League appearances as well as matches in the Europa League and Conference League.

By comparison, Bayer Leverkusen were asking for around €10 million for Andrich despite him being six years older.

The final factor was the players’ willingness to complete the transfer. Frankfurt had monitored Onyedika for more than a year, and once talks accelerated, he immediately agreed to the move.

Andrich, however, was not ready to make a quick decision. He wanted to remain at Bayer Leverkusen during pre-season and assess his chances under new head coach Carles Martínez before deciding on his future. With no guarantee that the transfer would happen, Frankfurt chose not to wait.

Instead, the Eagles moved decisively to secure the player they believed best matched their tactical plans, financial model and long-term vision, making Onyedika one of their most important signings of the summer.