Hugo Ekitike transfer AGREED – Liverpool to sign new No. 9

Liverpool have agreed a deal worth £79 million with Eintracht Frankfurt for Hugo Ekitike after the club moved swiftly to sign a new No. 9.

A deal has been struck between the two clubs to see the French striker free to undergo his medical ahead of formalising his transfer to Liverpool and joining the squad in Hong Kong.

This Is Anfield understands a full agreement has been reached after Liverpool advanced their interest, following Newcastle‘s stance that Alexander Isak was not for sale.

The deal is worth £69 million up front with a further £10 million in add-ons, taking the club’s summer spending beyond £250 million after deals for Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

The 23-year-old is reported to have agreed terms on a six-year contract at Anfield.

• £69m upfront agreed with Frankfurt, rising to £79m with add-ons
• Contract with Liverpool until 2031
• Scored 22 goals and assisted 12 across all competitions in 2024/25

Frankfurt were reported to value Ekitike at around €100 million (£86.5m) after one-and-a-half-seasons in Germany, first on an initial loan spell from Paris Saint-Germain.

The deal for the 23-year-old comes amid an overhaul of the squad in Arne Slot‘s image, with the Frenchman’s arrival to see Darwin Nunez‘s departure follow.

Newcastle had held discussions for Ekitike but he favoured a move to the Premier League champions, convinced by the role and prospects that await at Anfield.

An exciting young forward

No striker aged 23 or under across Europe’s top five leagues scored more than the Frenchman in all competitions in 2024/25.

Ekitike scored 22 goals in 48 appearances across the Bundesliga, Europa League and the DFB-Pokal.

Moreover, no under-23 striker scored more than 20 and the only others to net more than 15 were PSG’s Goncalo Ramos (18) and Rennes’ Arnaud Kalimuendo (18), with Ligue 1 considered the weakest of those top five leagues.

He is stylistically and statistically similar to Isak, though remains a developing young forward with plenty of potential.

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