Ellyes Skhiri is back at 1. FC Köln on a two-year deal after three years away at Eintracht Frankfurt. Cologne are not treating this as a simple reunion. Thomas Kessler said the club wanted “sporting quality” but also “experience and leadership”, and that Skhiri “perfectly fits the profile” they were after.
Cologne's case for bringing him back
The move makes sense on paper and on the pitch. Skhiri made 133 competitive appearances across his first spell in Cologne between 2019 and 2023, and he scored in the club's 2021 relegation play-off to help keep them in the top flight. That kind of familiarity is hard to replace, especially for a side that finished 14th in the 2025 Bundesliga season with 32 points from 34 matches.
Kessler's comments point to a signing shaped by more than memory. Cologne wanted someone they already trusted, and someone whose presence should settle the midfield quickly. Skhiri is 117 games into his recent run with Frankfurt, so he arrives back with live top-level mileage rather than a nostalgia act.
What Skhiri brings back to the squad
Skhiri also sounded ready for the move. “I'm glad to be back. I never lost sight of Effzeh and was always in touch with some people. I'm motivated to be successful here again with everyone and will give my all for Effzeh and the fans,” he said.
That is the part Cologne will like most. He is returning as a player with recent Bundesliga experience, but also as someone who already knows the club, the support and the pressure points. For a side that looked short of control and finished with a modest points total last season, that is exactly the sort of return that can steady a summer.
Cologne now have Skhiri back in their midfield and, if his first spell is any guide, they are expecting more than cover. The real test begins when he starts his second run in a Cologne shirt.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
