Former Leeds United defender Robin Koch has been rewarded for his fine form at Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt with a first Germany call up in three years.
Julian Nagelsmann, with a short-term contract taking him to the end of this summer’s European Championships but no further, has certainly wasted little time putting his own stamp on a much-changed Germany squad while he still can.
There were no fewer than six new faces in the roster announced by the former Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig boss on Thursday.
Plus, a well-deserved return for a man who’s most recent international outing came all the way back in 2021. The same year in which Leeds United struck a £10 million to bring Robin Koch to Elland Road from Freiburg.
Nagelsmann, meanwhile, insists that a Germany re-call is very much warranted, Koch bouncing back from suffering relegation at Leeds with a fine season on loan at Frankfurt.
Former Leeds United man earns re-call
“It’s a reward for his development. He is someone who can make his contribution,” Nagelsmann tells the Frankfurter Rundschau, albeit while confirming that Koch is unlikely to form part of his first-choice backline.
“He will fill the role of not being in the first XI well. I also heard from my coaching colleague (Frankfurt boss and his former assistant coach Dino Toppmoller) that he also throws everything into training.”
27-year-old Koch, who was linked with shock moves to Newcastle and Leeds’ bitter rivals Manchester United last summer, has been pretty much an ever-present when fit at Frankfurt. He has even captained Toppmoller’s side, both in the Bundesliga and in the Europa League.
Leeds initially loaned Koch to Frankfurt. Die Adler made his move into a permanent transfer in January, however, tying Koch down to a contract which runs until 2027.
Nagelsmann rings the changes for Germany
Nagelsmann also handed out maiden call-ups to no fewer than six players ahead of this month’s high-profile friendlies with France and the Netherlands. Bayern Munich starlet Aleksandar Pavlovic is in line fora Germany debut, alongside Hoffenheim striker Maximilian Beier, former Brighton flop Deniz Undav, Heidenheim assist-machine Jan-Niklas Beste and Stuttgart duo Waldemar Anton and Maximilian Mittelstadt
Koch’s former employers, meanwhile, look well placed to secure their return to the Premier League next term. Daniel Farke’s success has been build upon the foundations of a rock-solid backline, Illan Mesler, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon and co central to the Championship’s most watertight defence.
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