Merseyside | Liverpool move closer to Ekitike transfer

Transfer News | Liverpool have stepped up their pursuit of Hugo Ekitike 

Liverpool are in advanced negotiations to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike in a deal expected to exceed £70m

Author | William G

The development comes after Newcastle United saw a £70m offer for the 23-year-old turned down by Frankfurt. Liverpool's bid is understood to be higher and has moved them into pole position to secure the Frenchman’s signature.

Ekitike is open to joining the Premier League champions, who are targeting a central striker as the next phase of their summer rebuild.

The former Paris Saint-Germain forward enjoyed a standout season in the Bundesliga, scoring 15 goals in 31 starts as Frankfurt secured third place. He also contributed eight assists, placing him among the top six percent of forwards in Germany for chance creation.

Ekitike’s attacking threat was further underlined by his league-leading 117 shots on goal and an expected goals total of 21.6, the second highest in the division.

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While Liverpool have also shown a strong interest in Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, the Tyneside club have made it clear the Sweden international is not available at any price.

Ekitike would become Liverpool’s fourth major signing of the summer. They have already completed a record-breaking move for Germany international Florian Wirtz, in a deal worth up to £116m, and strengthened at full-back with the arrivals of Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong for £40m and £30m respectively.

Newcastle, meanwhile, are expected to step up talks with Brentford over Yoane Wissa as they explore alternative forward options following the stall in their pursuit of Ekitike.

How Hugo Ekitike thrived in Frankfurt

He has emerged as the latest testament to Eintracht Frankfurt’s astute recruitment strategy.

The French striker was far from an unknown quantity when he arrived on loan in early 2024. He had previously drawn interest from several clubs, including Newcastle United, during his time at Reims. A move to Paris Saint-Germain followed, but his development stalled as he struggled for minutes amid fierce competition in a bloated attacking line.

Frankfurt offered him a route back to form. After initially joining on loan, the Bundesliga side moved swiftly to make the deal permanent last summer. Under manager Dino Toppmöller, Ekitike was deployed both as a lone forward and in a front two.

In the first half of last season, he struck up a formidable partnership with Omar Marmoush. The pair combined effectively, regularly interchanging roles across the frontline. That partnership was disrupted in January, when Marmoush left for Manchester City in a £63m transfer. Frankfurt opted not to bring in a replacement, instead shifting to a new system that placed Ekitike at the tip of the attack with two attacking midfielders behind him.

Tactically versatile, Ekitike is not confined to operating inside the penalty area. During his time alongside Marmoush, the pair frequently rotated positions, drifting into wide areas and pulling defenders out of shape. While not the most explosive forward, Ekitike relies on intelligent movement to beat his marker and create space.