Liverpool have secured the signing of Hugo Ekitiké from Eintracht Frankfurt for a guaranteed £69m plus £10m in add-ons, with the striker having completed a medical in the UK on Tuesday. The 23-year-old has agreed a six-year contract and will join the Premier League champions on their pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Japan.
The France Under-21 international was a longstanding target for Liverpool, who first made contact with his representatives in January. Despite late interest from Manchester United and Newcastle, Ekitiké made clear his preference was to move to Anfield. United's director of recruitment contacted Frankfurt, but the player was already set on joining Liverpool.
Ekitiké scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in his sole full season at Frankfurt, helping the club qualify for the Champions League. Primarily a centre-forward, Liverpool believe he can also operate as a second striker or out wide. The deal makes him potentially the third most expensive signing in Liverpool's history.
The transfer, subject to international clearance, takes Liverpool's summer spending to almost £300m. Ekitiké becomes the club's seventh signing of the window, following Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and goalkeepers Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi, and Freddie Woodman.
