Eintracht Frankfurt are continuing to look towards the second division for emerging talent, and Kevin Wiethaup has reportedly become a player of interest to the club's recruitment team.
The 21-year-old joined Karlsruher SC from VfL OsnabrĂŒck on a free transfer during the summer and has quickly established himself in the side.
According to Absolut Fussball, his performances have attracted the attention of Eintracht, who are considering whether to pursue a move.
Wiethaup has made ten competitive appearances for Karlsruhe so far, scoring twice. His progress has come during a difficult period for the club, who have slipped towards the bottom of the 2. Bundesliga and were reported to have fallen into the relegation play-off position.
The midfielder's versatility is understood to be one of the qualities that appeal to Frankfurt. Absolut Fussball describes him as young, capable of further development, technically accomplished and able to operate in different roles across midfield.
That profile fits a recruitment strategy Frankfurt have used successfully in recent seasons. Can Uzun and Nathaniel Brown both arrived from NĂŒrnberg as young players with room to develop, while Louey Ben Farhat was also close to joining before Freiburg secured his signature.
Brown has since moved to Bayern Munich, while Uzun has become an important part of Frankfurt's longer-term plans. Joti Chatzialexiou, who is set to become the club's sporting director, also has experience identifying talent in Germany's lower divisions.
There are two possible routes for a deal, according to the report. Frankfurt could wait until the summer to bring Wiethaup in, or sign him during the winter window and immediately send him back to Karlsruhe on loan for the remainder of the season.
Neither option is straightforward financially. Wiethaup only joined Karlsruhe recently and has a contract running until 2029. The report suggests that a fee of at least âŹ8 million could be required to prise him away.
That would represent a substantial investment in a player who has made only a short run of appearances at his new club. Frankfurt will therefore need to decide whether his early progress justifies moving quickly or whether a longer period of monitoring would be preferable.
For Karlsruhe, the interest is another indication of the attention Wiethaup's performances have generated, but his contract gives the club a strong negotiating position.