Liverpool confirm Hugo Ekitike transfer as Reds outline plans for £79m signing | Football | Sport
Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike in a £79million transfer. The 23-year-old is the fifth major arrival at Anfield this summer and rockets Arne Slot‘s spending on the back of lifting the Premier League in his maiden season over the £250m mark.
Ekitike follows Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Florian Wirtz to Liverpool, bolstering the Reds’ attacking firepower further. He scored 26 goals in 64 appearances for Frankfurt and was named in the 2024/25 Bundesliga Team of the Season after an unsuccessful stint at Paris Saint-Germain.
A club statement read: “Liverpool FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, subject to international clearance.
“The 23-year-old has successfully completed a medical and agreed personal terms with the Reds, allowing him to fly out to Hong Kong to join his new teammates on their pre-season tour of Asia later this week.”
Liverpool added that Ekitike’s shirt number would be confirmed later in the summer, with social media content covering the signing to follow.
The France Under-21 international has become the third most expensive signing in Liverpool‘s history, behind fellow summer arrival, Wirtz, and Darwin Nunez.
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Ekitike’s emergence could spell the end of Nunez’s time at the club, though, three years after his £85m switch from Benfica.
The Uruguayan has scored 40 goals and registered 26 assists in 143 appearances for Liverpool, but endured a difficult individual 24/25 campaign.
Nunez managed just seven goals in 47 outings, failing to convince Slot that he is the striker to lead his line beyond the summer.
He has been linked with a potential switch to Saudi Arabia, Italy and Spain, with multiple clubs said to be interested in his services.
Liverpool had identified Alexander Isak as their top striker target before Newcastle United turned down talks over a staggering £120m transfer.
Former Reds winger Jermaine Pennant believes Ekitike draws similarities to the prolific Swede, which bodes well for Slot.
He said: “I think Hugo Ekitike is certainly good enough to be Liverpool‘s starting number nine this season in the Premier League.
“He’s got good feet and has a similar stature and style to that of Alexander Isak. It remains to be seen whether he’ll be able to put the same kind of numbers up, though.”
