Liverpool have now agreed the outline of their deal to sign striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, after making a second, improved bid on Saturday.
The Athletic‘s David Ornstein reports that Liverpool and Frankfurt have the outline of an agreement for a deal to make Ekitike the Premier League champions’ seventh summer signing.
While the specifics are unclear, the journalist explains that, if all add-ons are met, “there is optimism at Frankfurt that it would represent a club-record sale.”
That would mean an overall fee above the €95 million (£82.3m) agreed for Randal Kolo Muani’s move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.
Ekitike has a release clause in his contract at Frankfurt worth €100 million (£86.7m) and clearly those at the Bundesliga side expect the terms to effectively reach that.
“Work is still needed to formally get the deal done and that is expected in the next day or so,” Ornstein writes.
Arne Slot and his players will fly to Hong Kong on Sunday night ahead of their pre-season tour of Asia and it could be that the Frenchman’s move is completed before then.
• READ: Why “unselfish” Hugo Ekitike would have big “point to prove” at Liverpool
Liverpool will have been eager to avoid triggering Ekitike’s release clause as it would typically require the fee to be paid in full up front.
The likelihood is that, instead, the two clubs can agree on a more reasonable structure, including a number of performance-based add-ons.
Earlier on Saturday, it was claimed that Liverpool had offered up to €90 million (£78m) for the 23-year-old, who has already agreed personal terms on a six-year contract.
Ekitike could join the club as a replacement for Darwin Nunez, who is attracting interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia after the breakdown of a proposed switch to Napoli.
The tragic loss of Diogo Jota could also be factored in while Luis Diaz has made clear his desire to leave having received offers from both Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
While Frankfurt’s No. 11 had been viewed as an alternative to Newcastle‘s Alexander Isak, the noise out of the north-east club following their 4-0 friendly loss to Celtic suggests the story may not be over with Liverpool and the Swede.
“I respect a player’s career and how short it is,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe told reporters including Sky Sports’ Keith Downie after Isak missed the trip to Celtic Park.
“Alex has been really good, he’s trained really well and I realise there’ll be noise around him.
“I chose to send him home. The last thing Alex wants if he is not playing is to be sat in the stand and under that scrutiny, then if he wasn’t going to play today, we mutually agreed he shouldn’t be here.”
Those comments have been interpreted as Isak having had his head turned by the interest from Anfield – and while it may seem fanciful, Liverpool signing both him and Ekitike should not be ruled out.
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