For Hugo Ekitike, the move to Liverpool was a no-brainer. After a conversation with head coach Arne Slot outlining the club’s plans, the 23-year-old forward was all in.
Liverpool sealed the deal with Eintracht Frankfurt on Monday, agreeing to an initial £69 million fee plus £10 million in add-ons. It’s a major statement from the Premier League champions, who have already signed Giorgi Mamardashvili (Valencia), Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth), and Bayer Leverkusen stars Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz this summer.
Securing a top-tier No.9 has been a priority for Liverpool. With Darwin Núñez likely to leave after an inconsistent spell and Federico Chiesa omitted from the club’s Asia tour, Ekitike comes in to revamp the forward line. Luis Díaz is also attracting interest from Bayern Munich, who recently had a €67.5m bid rejected.
Tragically, the rebuild comes in the shadow of Diogo Jota’s passing in a car accident earlier this month.While Liverpool had also made inquiries about Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, the Magpies remain unwilling to sell. Ekitike, although less polished than Isak, is seen by Liverpool’s leadership as a long-term star in the making.
What Ekitike Brings to Liverpool
Ekitike made his name at Reims with 11 goals in 26 games during the 2021–22 season, earning a €35 million move to PSG. After limited opportunities under Luis Enrique, he joined Frankfurt permanently in 2024. Last season, he exploded with 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances.At 6’2″, he’s a versatile attacker who thrived both in a partnership and as a lone striker.
Frankfurt’s system allowed him to build chemistry with players like Farès Chaïbi and Mario Götze — a dynamic Liverpool hopes to recreate with Salah, Gakpo, and Wirtz.
Ekitike is a modern No.9: tall, fast, technical, and unselfish. Despite some inefficiency in front of goal (15 goals from 21.6 xG in the Bundesliga), Liverpool believe his ceiling is high. Stylistically similar to Isak, he models himself on Karim Benzema and thrives as both scorer and creator.
He has five caps for France U21 and hopes that a strong debut season in the Premier League earns him a call-up for the 2026 World Cup.
Slot’s Pitch Sealed the Deal
Though Newcastle were prepared to pay a similar fee, it was Arne Slot’s personal touch that turned the tide. Sources say his Zoom call with Ekitike was a “masterclass,” detailing how the Frenchman would be a perfect fit in a high-intensity, intelligent forward line.
Liverpool had tracked Ekitike since March, with sporting director Richard Hughes and chief scout Barry Hunter long-term admirers. Negotiations escalated after the player was left out of Frankfurt’s friendly over the weekend.
This is a bitter loss
Frankfurt boss Dino Toppmöller said.
We lost our top player in Marmoush and now another.
Ekitike is expected to sign a six-year deal and undergo a medical in the UK before joining the Liverpool squad in Hong Kong later this week.
A New Era at Anfield
Liverpool are undergoing a quiet revolution. After a restrained approach to past transfer windows including just one signing (Chiesa) last summer, Slot and the recruitment team are now reshaping the squad decisively.
With Ekitike’s arrival, the champions aim to remain dominant both domestically and in Europe.