Leeds United defender Robin Koch will be ‘officially in limbo’ until January 1st next year at new club Eintracht Frankfurt as they wait to sign him on a permanent basis.
That’s according to SportBILD, who explain how FIFA rules have led to a complicated situation for the centre-back.
Koch left Leeds to join Frankfurt on loan last week, signing for the German side on a season-long deal which is expected to be made into a permanent one next summer.
At that point he will be a free agent as his contract with Leeds expires, hence claims this summer that he could essentially leave Elland Road on a free transfer.
SportBILD explain that is not actually the case as Eintracht Frankfurt have paid €500,000 to secure him now, with a deal in place for next summer.
The problem is that, according to FIFA rules, clubs are only officially allowed to sign players to a new contract when their existing contract at their old club has entered its final six months.
That means that, until January 1st, Koch cannot sign a long-term deal with Frankfurt despite a three-year contract having been agreed behind the scenes.
Thus, he will be in something of a ‘complicated’ loan deal from Leeds until that point, ‘officially in limbo’ waiting for his contract at Elland Road to dwindle down before he can then officially sign his deal with Frankfurt.
Fortunately for him when he does sign that deal, he will be among the top earners at the Bundesliga club, earning around €3.5m a year and close to €5m if various bonuses are achieved.
His arrival is something of a coup for sporting director Markus Krösche, who wanted to sign Koch for RB Leipzig in 2020 but saw a deal blocked and has had to wait three-years to get his man.
That’s finally happened, although both he and the defender have to wait before any long-term commitment can be signed and sealed.
