2 days ago
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Liverpool has announced the signing of Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, as the busy summer of transfer business continues at Anfield.
The Reds have agreed to pay an initial fee of £69 million ($94M) for the striker, plus a potential £10M ($14M) in add-ons. It's a fee that makes him the club's third most-expensive signing of all-time, behind Florian Wirtz and Darwin Nunez. He could end up being the long-term replacement for the latter.
Ekitike, who scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists last season for Frankfurt, completed his medical in London on Tuesday and has signed a six-year deal with the Premier League champions.
He will now fly out to Hong Kong and meet up with his new teammates ahead of Saturday's friendly game against AC Milan.
He becomes the seventh arrival of the summer for the Reds. Jeremie Frimpong, Wirtz and Milos Kerkez's signings were confirmed earlier in the window, while a new-look goalkeeping department is now comprised of Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman and Armin Pesci, all of whom have joined Liverpool this summer.
Ekitike's arrival will add greater depth to the Reds' attacking options, which could be depleted in the final six weeks of the window by the potential exits of Nunez, Luis Diaz and Federico Chiesa.
Liverpool opted to sign the Frenchman in a transfer window dominated by expensive moves for no.9s. Liam Delap and Joao Pedro joined Chelsea, Matheus Cunha has signed for Manchester United, Viktor Gyokeres is reportedly on the verge of moving to Arsenal, while Newcastle United is believed to be chasing Yoane Wissa of Brentford.
Victor Osimhen and Benjamin Sesko are also on the market this summer, both of whom were linked with Liverpool.
But Ekitike emerged as the preferred candidate for Liverpool. At 23, he is seen as a long-term signing, one that combines an ability to stretch opposition back fours and drop deep to help link play.
He is a rapid - a common theme of this summer's business - and, at 6ft 3in, should help provide more of aerial threat this season.
He was last week linked with a move to Newcastle, while Manchester United reportedly made a late approach to sign the former Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool did contact Newcastle over the possibility of signing Alexander Isak last week, but the Magpies have been insistent all summer that the Swedish striker is not for sale.
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