Hugo Ekitike has reportedly made up his mind about which club he would rather join, as both Newcastle United and Liverpool line up major offers for the Eintracht Frankfurt forward.

Hugo Ekitike has reportedly made his preference clear in the transfer tug-of-war between Liverpool and Newcastle, as both clubs continue to vie for the highly-rated Eintracht Frankfurt striker this summer.

The 23-year-old, formerly of Paris Saint-Germain, is among the most in-demand forwards in Europe following an impressive 2024/25 season in which he tallied 22 goals and 13 assists, helping Frankfurt qualify for the Champions League.

Manchester United have also shown interest, entering the race in May and continuing to monitor developments, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

Liverpool recently re-established contact with Frankfurt in the last 48 hours, reaffirming their interest. Although Alexander Isak remains their top priority, Ekitike is believed to be the backup option should they fail to secure the Swede.

Newcastle, meanwhile, are determined to retain Isak and simultaneously pursue Ekitike. Earlier this week, their £70 million bid for the Frankfurt striker was rejected, with the German club holding out for closer to £85 million.

In the midst of these negotiations, journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft revealed on ESPN FC’s YouTube channel that Ekitike would prefer a move to Anfield.

“What I’m hearing is that Ekitike isn’t officially for sale, but we know how Frankfurt operates,” Fjortoft explained. “They’ve already sold Muani to PSG and Marmoush to Manchester City. Ekitike now has a price tag of €100 million.

“He’s the wild card in the Liverpool-Newcastle situation. If Liverpool miss out on Isak, Ekitike becomes the next target. And from what I understand, the player himself prefers Liverpool. Still, he’s not in a rush — he knows he’ll be playing in the Champions League with Frankfurt, and the club isn’t under pressure to sell thanks to their recent transfers and UCL qualification.”

Fjortoft concluded: “But I can tell you — Ekitike wants Liverpool.”

Liverpool ready to act

Liverpool are reportedly preparing to make a serious move to beat Newcastle to Ekitike’s signature. While they haven’t submitted an official offer yet, Florian Plettenberg stated on Wednesday that the Reds are prepared to outbid Newcastle for the French striker.

Fabrizio Romano added on Thursday that Liverpool are making progress in negotiations with Frankfurt. He noted that while the Isak deal hinges on Newcastle’s firm stance that the player is not for sale, Liverpool are continuing to advance talks with both Frankfurt and Ekitike’s representatives.