Liverpool have confirmed the signing of French striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal worth up to £79 million.
The 23-year-old completed his medical in London on Tuesday and signed a six-year contract that runs until 2031. He will now fly to Hong Kong to link up with his new teammates on Liverpool’s pre-season tour of Asia.
The Reds will pay £69 million up front, with a further £10 million in performance-based add-ons agreed with Frankfurt. It makes Ekitike the third-most expensive player in Liverpool’s history.
Ekitike scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions for Frankfurt last season and was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season. He joins Liverpool after just 18 months in Germany, having initially moved from Paris Saint-Germain on loan.
Born in Reims, Ekitike started his career with Stade de Reims before earning a move to PSG, where he made 33 appearances and won a Ligue 1 title. He stands 6ft 3in tall, is right-footed, and has already represented France at U21 level.
His arrival at Anfield is seen as a major statement from Liverpool under Arne Slot, who has now brought in seven new players this summer, including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi, and Freddie Woodman. The club’s total summer spending has reached £295 million.
Ekitike turned down offers from Newcastle United and Manchester United to join Liverpool, convinced by Slot’s project and plans for how he would fit into the system. The striker is expected to play a key role as the central forward, especially off the ball, an area Slot sees as essential.
The club have not confirmed Ekitike’s official squad number yet, but like other new signings, he will wear a temporary number during pre-season.
Liverpool’s next match is against AC Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday before facing Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan next Wednesday.
