Speaking to Sky, the club’s chief executive said further discussions would take place over the coming days, involving the supervisory board and other senior figures at the Bundesliga club.
“There is a group of three candidates,” Hellmann said. He added that he was “pretty sure that a decision on the appointment will be made relatively quickly”.
The vacancy followed Markus Krösche’s departure after five years in the role. Hellmann has taken on the sporting director’s responsibilities on an interim basis while the club works towards a permanent appointment.
Christoph Spycher, who currently works in a senior sporting role at BSC Young Boys and previously captained Frankfurt, has been widely reported as a leading candidate.
Other names mentioned in media reports include Joti Chatzialexiou of 1. FC Nürnberg, Marcel Schäfer of RB Leipzig, Benjamin Weber of Augsburg and Marco Neppe of Paris FC. However, Hellmann declined to confirm or deny any individual candidate.
“I will not comment publicly on names,” he said, adding that some people had already publicly ruled themselves out despite never having been approached by Frankfurt.
The comments underline the club’s attempt to keep the selection process under control while speculation continues. Hellmann’s confirmation that only three candidates remain suggests the search has moved beyond its initial stage, although the club has not disclosed who is on the final list.
Eintracht Frankfurt will also want the appointment resolved in time to prepare for the next transfer window. The new sporting director will inherit responsibility for recruitment and the club’s broader sporting direction, following a period in which Krösche held a central role in shaping the squad.
Hellmann has stressed that Frankfurt want to continue the club’s existing development rather than embark on a sudden change of direction. He has not identified the qualities that will ultimately decide the appointment, nor has the club confirmed a timetable beyond his expectation of a relatively swift decision.
For now, Spycher remains one of the most prominent names in the public discussion, but Frankfurt have made clear that the final choice will be made through their internal process.