Involuntary Eintracht departure hampers theates' debut in Italy
Arthur Theate, 26, left Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer after coach Adi Hütter had taken him out of the squad early. On August 30, he was loaned to FC Bologna until the end of the season, with a purchase option of €15 million agreed; his contract with Frankfurt runs until 2029.
Theate played only two years for Eintracht Frankfurt and was last season a clear, albeit not undisputed, regular starter for the Hessians. While he had previously been regularly in the squad, coach Adi Hütter decided in the summer not to consider him any longer. The photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini shows the defender at the farewell. “I focus on the players I plan with,” Hütter explained.
The 26‑year‑old Belgian shared his disappointment on Instagram, saying: “This is not an easy farewell, especially because I did not make this decision myself.” He emphasized that it is not a final goodbye, even though his contract with Frankfurt runs until 2029. Theate added that he accepts the situation, but did not make the decision himself.
Loan to Bologna and Playing Time
The loan until the end of the season was completed on August 30, shortly before the close of the summer transfer window. FC Bologna also secured a purchase option worth €15 million. Theate had already played for FC Bologna in the 2021/22 season before moving to Frankfurt. Since the third matchday against Sassuolo, Theate has not missed a minute and has already made three appearances.
Despite regular playing time, he has not yet recorded his first win for Bologna; after two draws, a 0‑1 defeat to SSC Napoli followed. In all three appearances he started in the lineup from the beginning. Thus Theate is still waiting for his first success in Serie A.
National Perspective
Internationally, Theate remains on the radar of the Belgian national team, although he was only on the periphery at the World Cup. In the Nations League match against Italy he spent the full 90 minutes on the bench, while Belgium won 2‑0. After his nomination for the World Cup, he was called up again for the national team. On the upcoming Monday evening he has the chance to reach his 37th cap against France.
His contract with Eintracht Frankfurt runs until 2029, so a final farewell is still pending. Whether Bologna will exercise the €15 million purchase option is still unclear. The decision depends on the defender’s performances and the coach’s plans.
The involuntary departure from Frankfurt has forced Theate into a new environment where he is immediately gaining match practice, but has not yet been able to celebrate a win. The development shows how a coach’s decision both challenges a player’s fate and creates new opportunities.