4 hours ago
39
Hugo Ekitike has certainly had his fair share of famous teammates, with the striker having already played with some of the world’s biggest stars before his expected move to Liverpool.
It could be just a matter of time before the 23-year-old is confirmed as the Reds’ newest signing, following in the footsteps of Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong in making the move to the Premier League from the Bundesliga.
Personal terms have already been agreed, with Ekitike reported to have handed in a transfer request at Eintracht Frankfurt to move things along quickly as Liverpool’s long-term plan looks to be coming to fruition.
The move for Ekitike comes after a hectic few days, with Liverpool having originally made an approach for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.
Having been met with a firm response by the Magpies, though, the Reds quickly turned their attention to their backup plan, with an approach made to Frankfurt just 24 hours later.
And things have moved quickly since then, with Ekitike looking set to become the latest addition in what has been a huge summer for Arne Slot’s side following their Premier League triumph.
If the move goes through as expected, Liverpool will be getting one of the most sought after players in the world, with Ekitike’s 22 goals and 12 assists last season catching the attention of plenty of big clubs.
The Frenchman has already had quite the career, having played alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe during his time at Paris Saint-Germain, as well as World Cup final goalscorer Mario Gotze at Frankfurt.
The former German international has already given a glowing review of the striker, which will no doubt excite Liverpool fans even further.
“I think Hugo Ekitike has an ability that few players have with his dribbling, his finishing, and his speed,” Gotze told beIN Sports last year.
“Of course, he can help us a lot. We saw it last year: we simply need everyone to be at 100 percent. This applies to everyone who has played, to the new ones, to those who have been here a little longer. And he is undoubtedly an added value for the team.”
Gotze’s comments will carry plenty of weight for Liverpool fans, with the attacking midfielder having been one of Jurgen Klopp’s key players during his time in charge of Borussia Dortmund.
In fact, Gotze could have followed Klopp to Anfield, having spoken with his former manager back in 2016 about joining the Reds from Bayern Munich - a move he has admitted he regrets not taking.
"I went to his house in Liverpool, where we sat down together in the living room with our wives," Gotze told The Player’s Tribune.
"What makes Jurgen special is that he sees Mario the person. We did not talk much about football. He wasn’t saying, 'How can I convince you? What do you want?'
"He asked me about life in general, and I think he said something like, 'Look, Mario, you’ll play a lot, and you’ll have fun here. I know that’s the most important thing for you. The club is amazing. Have a think about it.' I really wanted to play for him again."
Ekitike might have also missed the chance to play under Klopp, but he is set to play a big role in Slot's Reds next season as they aim to defend their Premier League title and add some more silverware in the process.
English (US) ·