Hugo Ekitike could cost up to £78 million, with £69 million paid up front, as negotiations over the terms of the deal continue. Liverpool made the move after learning that Newcastle forward Alexander Isak was not for sale; Liverpool would be Ekitike’s first choice.
Sky Sports News is aware that the offer’s total package may increase to £78 million (€90 million), but discussions regarding the add-ons’ structure are still ongoing.
Although both sides are optimistic about reaching a comprehensive agreement, more work needs to be done to make it official.
After learning that Alexander Isak of Newcastle was not for sale, Liverpool made their move for Ekitike earlier this week.
After Newcastle’s offer was turned down, Ekitike is open to a Premier League transfer, with Liverpool being his top choice.
In Saturday’s preseason matchup with FSV Frankfurt, the 23-year-old did not play as a substitute. The Frankfurt manager called Ekitike’s possible departure “a bitter loss” after the game, according to a quote from Sky Germany.
Ekitike helped Frankfurt qualify for the Champions League last season by scoring 22 goals in 48 games across all competitions.
The coaching staff at Stade Reims created a development plan for Hugo Ekitike while he was still a teenager. After analyzing Kylian Mbappe’s performances, they selected two additional players that Ekitike could realistically aim to emulate.
Oscar Garcia, the head coach of Reims at the time, told Sky Sports, “These were players with similar profiles from teams that were better than our team, but not at the distance Paris Saint-Germain were from us.” “We pushed him to become as good as the other two strikers.”
That seemed like a perfectly reasonable short-term goal. Ekitike had not even scored a goal in France’s top division before his last season at Reims. He had been on loan at Vejle Boldklub in Denmark for the second half of the previous season.
He was the fourth-choice forward when he returned to Reims, but he quickly made Oscar reevaluate. Shortly afterward, he lost sight of the two strikers whose level he had been urged to hit. “He aimed to catch up to Mbappe in a matter of months.”
This story provides insight into the thinking of the forward for Eintracht Frankfurt, who has long been connected to a Premier League transfer.
Oscar acknowledges that “some coaches did not like him because of his profile and sometimes because of his character, even though he was always a talented player.” They believed that he was somewhat conceited. Comparing himself to the best was something he always desired.