Liverpool has agreed a deal for Eintracht Frankfurt -star Hugo Ekitike, and the Frenchman seems to meet the requirements that Manager Arne Slot places in his center
Liverpool is almost the completion of the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, who knows what is expected of him in Anfield. The Reds have focused on a new frontman in their attempt to retain the Premier League title.
The side of Arne Slot has already made several striking movements in the transfer window. Florian Wirtz joined Bayer Leverkusen as the record of the club in a movement worth a maximum of £ 116 million earlier this summer. Liverpool has also broken up right back Jeremie Frimpong van Leverkusen, Bournemouth brought in left back Milos Kerkez and welcomed goalkeeper Giorgi Mhaldashvili from Valencia.
However, the arrival of Ekitike, who undergo a medical medical on Tuesday, would solve an important problem that the Liverpool manager apparently would like to tackle.
The athletics reports that playing as a center for the end means that you have to work hard off the ball, where Ekitike demonstrates his willingness to follow similar instructions from possession in his time in Frankfurt.
That non-consumable, in terms of a good team player from the top, is something that has been sought on the market. And it has been reported that Ekitike will follow those orders and teammates helps to offer a regular threat in the box through his intelligent movement.
The 23-year-old scored 22 goals and offered 12 assists in 48 performances for Frankfurt when the German side finished third in the Bundesliga and reached the quarterfinals of the Europa League.
Liverpool has an initial £ 69 million compensation concluded plus a possible £ 10 million in add-ons for the Frenchman. The transfer is a significant profit for Frankfurt, who chose to make the Ekitike loan of PSG permanent for around £ 14.3 million (€ 16.5 million) in April 2024.
Since the Premier League champions focus on a young striker who will be a long-term central point for the team, Ekitike meets the criteria of the club prior to signing a six-year-old deal.
Liverpool Boss Slot chose a large part of the title-winning campaign of the team on Darwin Nunez, in which the Uruguayan was only handed eight league-start.
Nunez was strongly connected to a move to Napoli, but the Italian club signed the Udinese attacker Lorenzo Lucca, so that the next steps of the Liverpool star were questioned. Slot confirmed the importance of the working speed of a striker in his criticism of Nunez's response to a missed opportunity against Aston Villa in February.
“I can accept every Miss, especially from a player who has scored two very important goals against Brentford, who scores for us in the home game against Villa,” Slot said. “I can accept that, but what was a bit harder for me to accept was his behavior after that chance.
“By behavior I mean, I think it has come too much in his head, where he was not the usual Darwin who works his A ** and ensures that he helps the team. I think he was too disappointed after missing that opportunity and maybe we will never know, we will never find out – that's why he was just a fraction short.”
The determination of Liverpool to find the right striker to improve the team was shown by their interest in Newcastle United star Alexander Isak. The Reds were reportedly prepared to pay up to £ 120 million for Isak, but Newcastle insists that the attacker is not for sale.
In the meantime, Liverpool has stood firmly in terms of their own expenses. Last week the club rejected an £ 58 million bid (€ 67.5 million) on Luis Diaz from Bayern Munich.
It is claimed that the winger wants to leave Liverpool, but the club is not going to cash in the Colombia International. He is currently part of the Liverpool team for their pre-season tour through Hong Kong and Japan.