The search has become urgent with the January transfer window approaching and Frankfurt looking to address a difficult start to the season. Chief executive Axel Hellmann has indicated that the club expect to recruit a successor currently working at another club rather than appoint someone who is available.
According to Bild, Schicker has emerged as an appealing option for Frankfurt’s leadership, including Hellmann and supervisory board chairman Mathias Beck. The report describes him as a candidate with support within the club, although no contact has yet taken place.
The 40-year-old Austrian has built a reputation for restructuring clubs and improving their sporting operations. He previously worked at Sturm Graz before joining Hoffenheim, where he has continued to oversee recruitment and squad planning.
Schicker is viewed as a potential fit for Frankfurt because of that experience, particularly as the club look for someone capable of shaping the squad while managing the demands of the winter market. His previous work at Sturm Graz and Hoffenheim has helped establish his credentials as a sporting executive.
A move would not necessarily be straightforward, however. Schicker remains under contract at Hoffenheim, meaning Frankfurt would need to persuade the Bundesliga rivals to release him if they decided to pursue the appointment.
The report also notes that Schicker considered a change of environment last year and came close to leaving Hoffenheim for Wolfsburg. That episode could add context to the latest speculation, but it does not establish that he is currently seeking a move.
Other names have also been linked with the vacancy, including Christoph Spycher of Young Boys, Marcel Schäfer at RB Leipzig, Joti Chatzialexiou of Nürnberg and Benjamin Weber of Augsburg. Spycher has been widely mentioned as a leading candidate, although reports about his availability have differed.
Frankfurt have not announced a preferred successor, and Schicker’s inclusion on the reported shortlist does not mean negotiations have begun. With Krösche’s responsibilities temporarily covered by Hellmann, the club must now decide who will take charge of recruitment and squad strategy on a permanent basis.