Liverpool have officially completed the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike.
The Reds have their new big-name No.9. With Darwin Nunez having failed to live up to the hype and following the tragic passing of Diogo Jota, signing a new striker was an urgent priority for Liverpool.
Liverpool had initially hoped to sell Nunez before dipping into the market for a forward, but after a proposed move to Napoli collapsed due to his €70 million price tag, the decision was made to act immediately.
An approach for Alexander Isak was knocked back by Newcastle, so the Anfield club pivoted to Eintracht Frankfurt hitman Hugo Ekitike, a player very similar in style to the Swede.
Talks between Liverpool and the Frenchman progressed quickly as Ekitike was keen on joining the Premier League champions. A six-year contract was agreed, and his signing has now been officially announced.
Liverpool sign Ekitike
The Reds have unveiled Ekitike as their new centre-forward after striking a deal with Frankfurt reportedly worth up to €95 million, consisting of a guaranteed portion of €82.5m. The remaining €12.5m are to be paid out as potential bonuses.
Heading into the summer, Frankfurt insisted on a €100m fee, but Liverpool have managed to push that fee down. Indeed, some sources believe that the Reds have agreed a deal worth less than the touted €95m.
Either way, Liverpool have secured a hugely exciting forward, who is coming off a brilliant season in the Bundesliga. The signing of the 23-year-old takes Liverpool’s spending for the summer to over €300m.
This means that Liverpool will have to make some sales before the window slams shut, although they are in a very healthy financial position. The Reds are still aiming to sign a top-class centre-back as a potential long-term replacement for Ibrahima Konate, who has been stalling on signing a new contract.
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