Liverpool have completed the signing of Hugo Ekitike after the striker snubbed late interest from Manchester United to become Arne Slot’s latest recruit.
The 23-year-old rejected the approach from Old Trafford, which came when United’s director of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, contacted the Eintracht Frankfurt sporting director, Markus Krosche, and has now sealed a move to Anfield. The deal will cost Liverpool an initial £69million with a further £10million payable in potential bonuses, subject to international clearance.
Liverpool also outmanoeuvred Newcastle United for Ekitike, who first spoke to the head coach Slot at the end of what was a breakout Bundesliga season for him. Newcastle had turned their attention to the France Under-21 international after missing out on deals for Liam Delap and João Pedro, who both opted to join Chelsea, but found themselves down the pecking order.
Ekitike scored 15 Bundesliga goals last term
SEBASTIAN EL-SAQQA/GETTY IMAGES
Contact between Anfield officials and Ekitike’s camp had been established in the new year and Liverpool waited until Newcastle were trying to close a deal before revealing their own hand. It is a tactic that also worked previously when they gazumped Tottenham Hotspur to lure Luis Díaz from Porto in January 2022 for an initial £37million.
Liverpool retain an interest in Newcastle’s Alexander Isak but, with the St James’ Park club insisting the Sweden international is not presently for sale, they believe Ekitike, who scored 15 goals in the German top flight last season and 22 in all club competitions, can flourish under Slot’s tutelage.
Slot views the player as a multi-functional centre forward who, while primarily playing as a No9, can also operate wide or perform as a second striker.
There are many similarities between Ekitike and Isak, albeit the latter has proved himself at a higher level, and Liverpool believe that Ekitike’s ability to bring teammates in play, operate in tight areas and also stretch defences mark him down as a future star should he maintain his trajectory and not be blown off course.
He follows the signings of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Ármin Pécsi and Freddie Woodman with a spending spree of almost £300million set to continue.
Liverpool, who are also interested in the Crystal Palace centre back Marc Guéhi, have already sold Caoimhin Kelleher and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah and Nat Phillips. There are doubts over the futures of a number of players such as Darwin Núñez, Díaz, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa.