Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike is a player Liverpool have reportedly been “monitoring closely,” but the forward’s price tag has now been raised amid growing transfer interest.
Last month, the Mail‘s Lewis Steele described the 22-year-old as a player the club’s scouts have had an eye on for “some time,” with the club expected to be in the market for a No. 9 this summer.
Ekitike, who has 21 goals and nine assists in 43 appearances this season, was previously claimed by Sky Germany to have a price tag in the region of €80 million (£67m).
A tidy markup on the £17.1 million the German club signed him for from PSG last summer, though reporter Florian Plettenberg has now claimed on X that the price has been raised.
Frankfurt are instead said to be demanding “at least” €100 million (£85.7m), which is fractionally more than the £85.3 million Liverpool paid for Darwin Nunez in 2022.
He is contracted until 2029 and thus the Bundesliga side are in a strong position to negotiate, though it remains that the Bundesliga side “are still preparing for his departure.”
It is certainly a steep fee but one roughly in keeping with the current market for a striker, especially when clubs are aware of a need like Liverpool’s this summer.
Ekitike does not have Premier League experience though has topflight history in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, and that will be considered heavily when it comes to his viability for the Reds this summer.
Whether the youngster will be actively pursued remains to be seen, but Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes will be seeking the best deal possible with whomever they settle on at No. 9.
Arne Slot names key quality his No. 9 must have
Liverpool have also been linked to RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Lille’s Jonathan David and Wolves‘ Matheus Cunha so far, but Slot’s demands for his centre-forward have been made clear.
“I think in modern day football, a number nine, like a right winger, like a midfielder, like a defender, they need to work hard and be part of an intense pressing team,” Slot said.
“If you look at the teams that are now playing in the semi-final of the Champions League, they are all 11 players that work their ass off, apologies for the language!
“That is also what I’m expecting from our number nine that is part of an intense pressing team.
“But in the end, it is helpful if the number nine of Liverpool, or at any team in the world, scores goals. That was the short answer.”
