2 weeks ago
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Hugo Ekitike has linked up with his new colleagues after jetting off to Hong Kong for Liverpool's preseason tour, and he seemed comfortable from the get-go.
Ekitike came on board after Liverpool struck a deal with Eintracht Frankfurt. He has inked a six-year contract with the Reds, who acted swiftly to secure the France U21 striker after Frankfurt turned down an offer from Newcastle, while Manchester United also made a last-ditch effort to sign him.
Ekitike joins Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez in a bustling transfer window that has seen Liverpool shell out more than $300 million on seven signings. There's been a flurry of fresh faces in the Liverpool squad this summer, as the team gears up to defend its Premier League crown.
The efforts of Arne Slot to make them feel welcome were clearly visible in behind-the-scenes footage shared by the club on social media. Ekitike put pen to paper for Liverpool on Wednesday before flying directly to Hong Kong on Thursday.
He met his new teammates at an open training session inside the Kai Tak Stadium, with cameras capturing their interactions. After exchanging pleasantries with many of them, Slot gathered everyone around to introduce Ekitike, whom he first spoke to at the close of the 2024-25 season.
"As you can see, we have a new player, so we're hoping he's the first Frenchman who can score goals for us," Slot quipped, glancing at defender Ibrahima Konate. The squad responded with shouts of "Ibou!" while the camera captured Mohamed Salah chuckling and repeating: "Wow."
Cody Gakpo was later seen telling Konate: "Oh, so you're happy to have another Frenchman, eh!" Keeping Konate content could be crucial for Liverpool, especially after the center-back expressed dissatisfaction earlier in the summer.
In June, rumors surfaced that he was "disappointed" with the club's offer of a new contract. His agents are advocating for a pay rise following lucrative new contracts awarded to Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
Konate, whose current contract runs out in June 2026, has been linked with Real Madrid, known for snapping up players when they become free agents.
Liverpool is all too familiar with this, having lost Trent Alexander-Arnold in the same manner this summer, while Kylian Mbappe, Antonio Rudiger, and David Alaba all made their way to Madrid similarly.
While it seems unlikely that Konate would depart this summer, Liverpool has been keeping an eye on Crystal Palace center-back Marc Guehi.
However, the current buzz is all about Alexander Isak, after the forward informed Newcastle of his desire to explore his options in the transfer market.
Liverpool approached Newcastle regarding Isak prior to signing Ekitike last week. Even after a bustling summer, the Reds could still afford the Swedish sensation.
With Darwin Nunez, Harvey Elliott, and Luis Diaz all potentially on their way out, there's no shortage of potential deals this summer.
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