Liverpool seals £69m Ekitike deal amidst summer spending spree

Premier League champions Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike for an initial fee of £69 million ($92 million), with potential add-ons bringing the total to £79 million.

This significant acquisition marks Liverpool’s focused efforts to bolster their attacking options after Newcastle United firmly rejected their attempts to sign Swedish forward Alexander Isak, valued at approximately £150 million.

The Reds have seemingly won the fiercely contested race for Ekitike’s signature, with both Newcastle and Manchester United also keen on the highly-rated 23-year-old Frenchman.

Once the transfer formalities are completed, Ekitike is expected to join Arne Slot’s squad on their pre-season tour of Asia.

Ekitike enjoyed a stellar performance last season for Frankfurt, netting 22 goals in 48 appearances across all competitions since his move from Paris Saint-Germain.

He was notably an unused substitute in Frankfurt’s recent friendly against FSV Frankfurt, further fueling speculation of his imminent transfer.

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The arrival of Ekitike is particularly crucial for Liverpool, filling a void in their forward line following the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a car crash in Spain earlier this month.

The club is also reportedly open to selling Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez, and a bid from Bayern Munich for Colombian forward Luis Diaz has been rejected, indicating further potential movement in the attacking department.

This summer has seen Liverpool engage in a substantial spending spree under Arne Slot.

The club has already invested heavily, including a reported £116 million for German playmaker Florian Wirtz, and secured defenders Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen and Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth.

Furthermore, Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili officially linked up with the team after his pre-arranged move from Valencia.