However, Eintracht Frankfurt are unwilling to pay the full €27 million purchase option embedded in their original agreement.
Kalimuendo, 24, joined Frankfurt on loan from Nottingham Forest in January, arriving in Germany after a frustrated first half of the season in the Premier League in which he made just 14 appearances and managed two goals. The move to the Bundesliga quickly revived him, and by the end of the campaign he had established himself as a key figure in Frankfurt's attack.
Bild reports that Frankfurt have no intention of triggering the loan clause at face value but believe a deal can be done at a significantly lower fee. Their confidence is reinforced by two factors: Forest's own need to generate revenue this summer and Kalimuendo's clear preference to stay in Frankfurt, where he has settled quickly and earned the trust of former coach Albert Riera.
Forest paid around £26 million to sign Kalimuendo from Stade Rennes last summer. The English club receive a portion of any permanent sale, and with their summer recruitment plans requiring fresh funds, a willingness to negotiate a discount in exchange for a quick and clean exit is considered likely.
Kalimuendo had previously been an academy product at Paris Saint-Germain before loan spells at Lens — where he established his reputation as a pacey, direct right-footed forward with an instinct for runs in behind — and Rennes, where his performances earned him a permanent move. He has also represented France at Under-21 level and played for the national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Frankfurt's sporting director Markus Krösche said at the time of the January loan: "He combines pace, runs in behind and finishing ability with a very high work rate off the ball. We are convinced that he will find an environment here where he can fully realise his potential."
The summer window will determine whether that environment becomes permanent.