‘Ekitike saying his Frankfurt goodbyes’ after major Liverpool transfer bombshell
Hugo Ekitike appears to be one step closer to joining Liverpool this summer.
Arne Slot has been intent on signing a top-quality striker this summer, and has settled on pursuing Ekitike after Newcastle effectively shut the door on a move for Alexander Isak.
Ekitike is keen on joining Liverpool after agreeing on personal terms, but the Reds are yet to finalise a fee that will satisfy his current club, Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Frenchman has been seen in pre-season training with his side, but may soon be bidding farewell to his teammates following the latest reveal.
Frankfurt expect Ekitike’s transfer to go through
Frankfurt have already rejected an approach from Newcastle for £70million for their star striker, and are holding out for a better offer from the Premier League champions.
The German side are aware that the striker is hot property after an excellent season, and feel under no pressure to sell the 23-year-old as he has four years left on his contract.
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Minutes Played |
| Bundesliga | 33 | 15 | 8 | 2,582′ |
| Europa League | 12 | 4 | 3 | 814′ |
| DFB-Pokal | 3 | 3 | 1 | 248′ |
Nevertheless, as reported by BILD (18 July), Frankfurt believe the deal will go through as they were locked in intense negotiations with Liverpool.
They expect Liverpool to return with an improved offer and hope to finalise the deal in good spirits as their respective sporting directors, Markus Krösche and Richard Hughes, have a solid relationship.
While the finer details may take a while to finalise, Ekitike will shortly be saying his goodbyes to the club he joined permanently just over a year ago.
Ekitike will fit in at Liverpool like a glove
Liverpool are expected to be a much changed side from last season, both tactically and in terms of personnel, after an ambitious summer of transfers.
Questions remain over how Slot will line up, but the Anfield faithful can be assured that Ekitike will fit into his team like a glove.
He possesses the required level of athleticism to both handle the physicality of defenders in the Premier League and help Liverpool employ an effective press.
His goalscoring record speaks for itself, while his technical quality and ability to link up with other players will see him seamlessly slot into the front three and bring the best out of players like Luis Diaz.
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