Liverpool have agreed a £79 million deal for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitiké, with the fee comprising £69 million plus £10 million in add-ons. The 23-year-old France Under-21 international emerged as the Premier League champions' preferred No 9 after receiving no encouragement in their pursuit of Newcastle's Alexander Isak.
The transfer takes Liverpool's summer spending to nearly £300 million, making Ekitiké their seventh signing of an ambitious window. He follows Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman to Anfield.
Ekitiké has agreed a six-year contract in principle and is set to join Arne Slot's squad on their pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Japan after undergoing a medical in the UK on Tuesday. The £10 million in add-ons are contingent on individual and club achievements, with the deal worth €91 million – €9 million below his release clause.
The forward scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists last season, his first in the Bundesliga, helping Eintracht qualify for the Champions League. Newcastle had a £70 million bid rejected last week, but Ekitiké made clear his preference was to join Liverpool.
