Liverpool signs Hugo Ekitike: What does the French striker bring? Analysis and details

Hugo Ekitike Joins Liverpool: A Stellar Signing for the Reds

Forward Hugo Ekitike has made a decision that marks a before and after in his career: he joins Liverpool. After a key conversation with coach Arne Slot, the young French footballer felt completely convinced to join the Anfield team. Now, the English club has secured his signing after negotiations with Eintracht Frankfurt. The agreement, which amounts to an initial £69 million plus £10 million in performance-based add-ons, represents a significant move for both the 23-year-old player and the club, which is looking to bolster its squad with top-tier talent. This summer, Liverpool has demonstrated its ambition with the incorporation of players like goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, defender Milos Kerkez, and the Bayer Leverkusen duo, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz. The arrival of Ekitike becomes a priority for Liverpool, especially after the possible departure of Darwin Núñez and Federico Chiesa.

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Uncertainty also surrounds Luis Díaz, who could leave the club due to interest from Bayern Munich. Liverpool’s forward line is affected by the situation of Diogo Jota, who passed away along with his brother André Silva in a car accident this month. Liverpool has also shown interest in Alexander Isak, Newcastle United’s forward, although the club has maintained its position of not selling the player. Despite his youth, Ekitike has the potential to become one of the best strikers in Europe. But, how did Liverpool convince Ekitike and what can fans expect from him in the Premier League?

“He loves playing for others”

A scout from a European club.

Liverpool relies on data when signing a player, and Ekitike’s statistics are impressive. The striker stood out in the 2021-22 season with Reims, scoring 11 goals in 26 matches. This earned him a transfer to PSG for 35 million euros, initially on loan before being bought outright. In Paris, Ekitike had the opportunity to learn from players like Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi, but after the arrival of Luis Enrique, he moved to Frankfurt in February 2024, where he had a stellar season, with 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 matches.

With a height of 1.88 meters, Ekitike can play in various attacking positions. At Frankfurt, he stood out playing alongside Omar Marmoush. In the absence of Marmoush, he demonstrated his ability as a center forward, with the support of players like Farès Chaïbi and Mario Götze. Ekitike is a modern forward with room for improvement. For example, he scored 15 goals, although his expected goals (xG) value was 21.6 in the Bundesliga. If he improves his finishing, he could be a danger to Premier League defenders. Ekitike has a profile similar to Isak, with speed and good technique, but is inspired by Karim Benzema. He is a good dribbler and enjoys creating opportunities for his teammates. Ekitike has not yet debuted with the senior French national team, but he has five matches with the under-21 team and hopes that a good season at Liverpool will secure him a place in the national team for the 2026 World Cup.

Slot’s “masterclass” convinced Ekitike A week ago, it seemed Ekitike could go to Newcastle. The club tried to sign him when he was still playing for Reims in 2022 and has been watching him ever since. Newcastle formalized their interest this summer and sources reported that they were willing to pay an initial fee of £70 million, although they had not agreed on add-ons with Frankfurt before Liverpool made their move.

Although it was speculated that the interest in Ekitike was a strategy to sign Isak from Newcastle, Ekitike has always been one of Liverpool’s main targets for the forward line. Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, head of scouts Barry Hunter and Michael Edwards (CEO of Football for the owners of Fenway Sports Group) have followed his progress for months, and Hughes admired the player during his time as technical director at Bournemouth.

Sources reported that the club contacted the player’s entourage in March before talks began last week. It is understood that Slot held a Zoom call with Ekitike, during which the Liverpool coach detailed his need for a mobile and dynamic center forward who could combine brilliance with the ball with tenacity and intelligence off it. Ekitike saw himself as the perfect fit, and sources reported that Slot gave a “masterclass”, leading the player to prioritize the move to Liverpool despite interest from other places. There was some initial concern about whether Ekitike was ready for such a big change, with parallels to his signing for PSG three years ago. But as Ekitike has learned from that experience and has evolved enormously in recent seasons, there is now confidence among all parties that it is the right time for this next step. The negotiations continued over the weekend, but when Ekitike was excluded from Frankfurt’s squad for Saturday’s friendly with FSV Frankfurt, it seemed the situation was defined. “He didn’t play, but you can imagine everything else,” coach Dino Toppmoller told Sky Sports Germany when asked about Ekitike’s absence after the match. “This is a bitter loss. We lost our absolute best player in winter with Omar Marmoush. The other player came in and developed sensationally. It’s very possible that will also be history.” But Frankfurt’s loss is Liverpool’s gain, as the player is about to sign a six-year contract at Anfield. Sources reported that the striker is expected to complete his medical in the UK on Tuesday before flying to join Slot’s team in Hong Kong later this week, where he will have the opportunity to settle in with his new teammates before the start of the new season. Liverpool continues with a “great summer” Liverpool has never shown much interest in “winning” the transfer window. After their Champions League triumph in 2019, their only signings were teenage duo Sepp van den Berg and Harvey Elliott, respectively from PEC Zwolle and Fulham, in addition to backup goalkeepers Adrian San Miguel and Andy Lonergan. Liverpool’s perceived failure to strengthen significantly while at the top caused frustration in some sections of the fanbase, but that strategy was vindicated the following season, when Jurgen Klopp’s team won the club’s first league title in 30 years. After Klopp’s departure last summer, the only addition to the squad was Chiesa in a £12.5 million transfer from Juventus. Once again, Liverpool’s lack of action in the market raised eyebrows, but Slot was happy with the squad he had inherited, and his team won the title at a blistering pace last season. Even so, for months there has been a growing feeling that this would be a summer of change at Anfield. “I think Liverpool should be able to aim for titles in the coming years,” said captain Virgil van Dijk in April. “Whatever happens in terms of players leaving, players coming in, I think it should be a great summer. I think they are planning for it to be a great summer, so we all have to trust the board, as a Liverpool-connected fan, to do the right job.” So far, Liverpool’s board has not disappointed, acting decisively in the market to bring in players with the ability to improve Slot’s title-winning team. The signing of Wirtz in particular indicates the club’s desire to build a dynasty under the Dutchman; one that sees them continually competing for the game’s most important prizes. The Reds beat out interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester City to secure Wirtz’s signature, agreeing to an initial £100 million deal with Leverkusen in June. If the full range of performance-related add-ons (worth £16 million) are met, Wirtz will become a British record signing, surpassing the £115 million transfer of midfielder Moisés Caicedo from Chelsea in 2023. But while Liverpool’s free spending has taken many by surprise, their strong investment this summer has only been possible thanks to the discipline shown in previous windows and without imminent danger of breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), there may still be more to come. Liverpool are in the market for another central defender following the transfer of Jarell Quansah to Leverkusen for £35 million, and Marc Guéhi, Crystal Palace defender, is one of the options being considered. If Díaz leaves, whether to Bayern or elsewhere, the club could also look to bring in another winger before the window closes. While those on the outside may feel that Liverpool’s activity this summer doesn’t align with their usual cautious approach, the Reds have never shied away from spending big when the opportunity arises to bring in game-changing talent. The club did precisely that when they signed Van Dijk from Southampton in January 2018 and goalkeeper Alisson Becker from AS Roma the following summer. If Ekitike has a similar impact at Anfield, it will be money very well spent.