Hugo Ekitike was dropped from Eintracht Frankfurt’s starting XI for Saturday’s pre-season friendly against FSV Frankfurt amid increasing speculation about a possible summer move to Liverpool.
As reported by Mail Sport earlier this week, Arne Slot’s Reds are readying a bid to sign the France Under-21 international, who is said to be keen on a move to Anfield.
Newcastle United recently had a £70million bid rejected for Ekitike as it fell £16m short of his release clause.
Liverpool have also been linked with interest in Alexander Isak, Yoane Wissa, Ollie Watkins and Victor Osimhen this summer, but Ekitike, 22, now appears to be the most likely candidate to bolster the Premier League champions’ attack.
Ekitike scored 22 goals in 48 games for Frankfurt last season and now looks set to move away from the Bundesliga outfit.
After Ekitike was left on the bench for Saturday’s friendly, French journalist Fabrice Hawkins declared via X (formerly Twitter) that the striker was ‘getting closer to Liverpool’, and that he had already agreed personal terms on a contract until 2031.
Hugo Ekitike, 22, appears to be edging towards a summer move from Frankfurt to Liverpool
Liverpool manager Arne Slot is looking to add another attacking player to his current squad
Hawkins added that Ekitike would stay on the bench because negotiations between Frankfurt and Liverpool were ongoing, with a ‘final green light expected soon’.
Liverpool have already signed two players from Germany this summer.
Jeremie Frimpong arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for £29.5m on June 1 before being joined at Anfield by £116m team-mate Florian Wirtz 19 days later.
Liverpool’s summer signings will be hoping to make their Premier League debuts against Crystal Palace on August 15.
