3 months ago
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Eintracht Frankfurt's boss has dropped a strong hint that Hugo Ekitike’s time at the club may be coming to an end, as Liverpool reportedly closes in on a deal for the French striker.
Ekitike was notably absent from Frankfurt’s squad during its 3-2 friendly win over FSV Frankfurt on Saturday, further fueling speculation about his future. Liverpool has reportedly reached an agreement that could eclipse Frankfurt’s club-record sale, potentially exceeding $111 million with add-ons.
Earlier this week, Newcastle United submitted a bid for Ekitike, which was turned down by the Bundesliga side. Magpies manager Eddie Howe had hoped to pair Ekitike with Alexander Isak, who has attracted unexpected attention himself, but Liverpool’s swift move has derailed those plans.
Following the game, head coach Dino Toppmoller suggested that Ekitike might have already made his final appearance for Eintracht Frankfurt. “He didn’t play - everything else is easy enough to figure out,” Toppmoller told Kicker.
“That’s a tough loss. In the winter, we lost our absolute top player in Omar Marmoush [to Manchester City ]. The other one [Ekitike] stepped up and developed sensationally.
"It’s quite possible that this, too, is now history. That’s why I believe we’ll need to lower expectations overall a bit."
Frankfurt have reportedly opted not to include the 23-year-old in their squad for the upcoming training camp in the United States, which the team is set to leave for on Tuesday.
Arne Slot has already strengthened his squad with over $228 million worth of signings, including Giorgi Mamardashvili, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong.
But the Dutchman isn’t done yet, as he looks to add the striker to further bolster his attacking options ahead of the new season.
Darwin Nunez appears set to leave Liverpool after failing to impress Slot last term. While a potential move to Napoli has collapsed following Antonio Conte’s signing of Lorenzo Lucca from Udinese, Nunez continues to reportedly attract interest from the Saudi Pro League, Atletico Madrid, and AC Milan.
The anticipated arrival of Ekitike is expected to complete Slot’s offensive rebuild—unless Luis Diaz secures a late-window move to Bayern Munich, a transfer the Colombian is reportedly pushing for.
After cruising to the Premier League title last season, Liverpool remain favourites to defend its title, which has been strengthened further by key summer reinforcements.
Ekitike initially joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January 2024, before making the move permanent in the summer for $20 million.
During his brief loan spell, he impressed with four goals and two assists in just 14 appearances. He followed that up with a standout campaign last season, netting 22 goals and providing 12 assists, earning a place in the Bundesliga Team of the Season.
Ekitike has represented France at the Under-21 level five times but has yet to earn a senior cap. A product of the Reims academy, he made a name for himself before signing with PSG in 2022. He was close to joining Newcastle in January of that year, but the move collapsed on deadline day, paving the way for his eventual switch to the French champions.
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