Is Eintracht Frankfurt's Younes Ebnoutalib Germany's No.9 answer?
Racking up three goals and one assist in three Bundesliga games so far this term, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Younes Ebnoutalib could well be Germany’s answer to the No.9 position as they embark on a new era under Jürgen Klopp.
Seeing out 2025 as the leading Bundesliga 2 goalscorer with 12 goals in 17 Hinrunde games for Elversberg, the German-Moroccan’s meteoric rise earned him a move to Frankfurt in January of this year, penning a five-and-a-half-year deal until 30 June 2031.
There, he opened his account for the Eagles on his debut, showcasing excellent composure to finish with aplomb against Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel. However, a knee ligament injury in only his second appearance for the Hessen club against VfB Stuttgart ruled the forward out for much of the season.
Watch: Ebnoutalib making waves
Keen not to let his previous injury deter him, Ebnoutalib has roared out of the traps this season, launching himself in the limelight with an opening day hat-trick in Frankfurt’s 3-3 draw against Union Berlin after netting in his team's 11-0 DFB Cup victory at Tönis.
Under former Germany coaches Hansi Flick and Julian Nagelsmann, many different profiles were tested up front, but neither were able to replace the attacking threat that Miroslav Klose, Germany's outright best goalscorer with 71 strikes in 137 international appearances, once provided.
Both Niclas Füllkrug and Tim Kleindienst made their senior national team debuts at 29-years-old, but despite both being prolific with 12 and four goals in 24 and six appearances respectively, injuries prevented the pair from further establishing themselves within the set-up.
Kai Havertz has been Germany’s best goalscorer since 2020, with 24 of his 25 strikes, including five at the FIFA World Cup 2026, coming since the turn of the decade, but the Arsenal star doesn’t possess the presence inside the area that Germany once had.
Meanwhile, Stuttgart's Deniz Undav has proven to be a super-sub, but struggled to nail down a starting berth under Nagelsmann, while Juventus' Nick Woltemade, who scored four goals across three games between October and November 2025, has barely got a look in.
As Klopp looks to explore all options, Ebnoutalib could well be Germany’s secret weapon.
With a style of play that closely resembles that of Klose, the 23-year-old’s 10th-minute equaliser in Berlin exhibited his eye for goal with a finish inside the six-yard box, before stroking the ball home under Matheo Raab to fire the Eagles ahead a minute later.
Then, Ebnoutalib showcased his superb technique with a clinical volley from inside the area. “He works incredibly hard for the team,” said Eintracht head coach Adi Hütter. “And when you always work that hard, you get rewarded.”
Watch: Ebnoutalib's hat-trick vs. Union Berlin
“I’m just happy and grateful to the team, I want to help," Frankfurt’s No.11 said. "I always set myself targets and always want to deliver a good performance, but I never really thought I’d score three goals.”
Assisting strike partner Jonathan Burkardt for the opening goal of Frankfurt’s 4-1 defeat against Augsburg, Ebnoutalib has a unique skillset for someone of his frame.
A physical presence at 1.87m (6'2"), Frankfurt’s rising star possesses explosive pace, superb close control, an ability to find space and a natural eye for goal with his poacher-like instinct - all attributes which could suit Klopp’s Germany well.
In Klopp’s Liverpool teams gone by, the centre-forward role has brought others in to play, and Ebnoutalib can do exactly that.
His goalscoring talent is evident, but his ability to drop deep, run in behind and stretch defensive lines has so often proved problematic for opposition defences, while his two assists in five games in 2026/27 adds further gloss to the attacker’s growing repertoire.
With Germany’s first games of the Klopp era against the Netherlands, Greece and Serbia in the UEFA Nations League coming soon, Frankfurt’s uncapped forward has proven that he can be a game-changer, and he could be the national team’s answer in a new-look attack.
