Transfer rumours: After Wirtz, Liverpool set to challenge Chelsea's €100 million bid for Hugo Ekitike?

Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike is heavily linked to Arne Slot's Liverpool, reports said. 

 

The 22-year-old Frenchman was earlier reported to join the Merseyside team's Premier League rivals Chelsea. However, neither of the talks are concrete as the Bundesliga team is likely to ask around €100 million for their attacker.

 

News reports confirmed that the English champions officially contacted Eintracht Frankfurt for Ekitike although no official bid was made as of Wednesday. Former PSG star Ekitike has impressed Slot as well as Liverpool's chief executive of football Michael Edwards, English media said. 

 

 

 

"Understand FC Liverpool are now seriously in the race for Hugo #Ekitike! Talks have taken place. Slot/Edwards keen on him. The biggest rival at the moment: Chelsea," Sky News' Florian Plettenberg said on X confirming the race between the English rivals.

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Across all competitions, Ekitike played 48 times for the Frankfurt team that finished third in the Bundesliga behind Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. He scored 22 times and assisted eight, enjoying a tremendously successful season for the Dino Toppmöller-coached side.

 

If successful, it would be Liverpool’s second bank-breaking signing this summer, as they’ve reportedly convinced Florian Wirtz—one of Europe’s most sought-after attackers and the same age as Ekitike—to join for around €120 million.

 

 

Chelsea, meanwhile, are convinced that they need a more potent targetman than Nicolas Jackson up front. The London side wants to make early summer transfers and a number nine is a priority. The names of Liam Delap, Viktor Gyokeres, and Benjamin Sesko were all discussed before the French international came into the picture. 

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The Blues have made several big-money signings in recent times, and another €100 million spend is possible, given how their lack of precision in the box has cost them.

 

A known factory of world-class strikers, Frankfurt had recently sold  Omar Marmoush for €75 million to Manchester City and Randal Kolo Muani for €95 million to PSG. It needs to be seen which Premier League side will win the race for Ekitike ahead of the much anticipated FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. 

 

 

 

 

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