Liverpool have completed the signing of Hugo Ekitiké from Eintracht Frankfurt for a guaranteed £69m plus £10m in add-ons, after fending off a late bid from Manchester United. The 23-year-old France Under-21 international has signed a six-year contract and will join the squad on their pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Japan.
The striker was a long-term target for Liverpool, with initial contact made in January. Manager Arne Slot outlined his plans for Ekitiké in a call at the end of last season. Newcastle United had a £70m bid rejected last week, and Manchester United made a late attempt to hijack the deal, but the player's preference was always Anfield.
Ekitiké scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in his one full season at Frankfurt, helping the club qualify for the Champions League. Primarily a No 9, Liverpool believe he can also play as a second striker or out wide. The deal is subject to international clearance.
Ekitiké becomes Liverpool's seventh signing of the summer window, taking total spending to nearly £300m. He is potentially the third most expensive signing in the club's history, behind Florian Wirtz and Darwin Núñez.
