The competition to sign French striker Hugo Ekitike is intensifying, with top Premier League clubs—Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United—all closely tracking his situation this summer.
Eintracht Frankfurt have slapped a hefty €100 million valuation on the 22-year-old, meaning any potential deal is likely to be complex and drawn out.
According to Sky Sport’s Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool currently hold the advantage in the race, believing they have a solid chance of securing Ekitike ahead of their domestic rivals.
Liverpool lead the pursuit of Hugo Ekitike
The Reds have already expressed their interest to both the player’s camp and Eintracht Frankfurt. However, they’ve also indicated that any formal approach will depend on outgoing transfers.
With the club considering the sale of Darwin Nunez—who has struggled for consistency since joining—Ekitike is seen as a possible replacement. But Liverpool must first generate funds through player sales before moving forward.
Ekitike is reportedly aware of the situation at Anfield and is open to waiting for the club to sort out their transfer plans before making a decision.
Chelsea remain seriously interested and continue to assess attacking options, while Manchester United have also joined the race, having recently made contact with Frankfurt to inquire about Ekitike’s availability.
United are eager to bolster their forward line and see Ekitike as a valuable addition to complement recent signing Matheus Cunha.
Strong demand for the French striker
All three clubs have been told that Frankfurt won’t consider any offers below €100 million. As it stands, Liverpool are in pole position, though this transfer saga is expected to unfold further over the coming weeks.
In addition to Ekitike, Liverpool are also monitoring Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, a player they nearly signed last summer. On the defensive front, they’ve been linked with Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio.