Hugo Ekitike Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is desperate to sign an upgrade to Nicolas Jackson and according to RMC Sport, the Blues are eyeing a move for 22-year-old Hugo Ekitike.
The centre-forward has grabbed a lot of attention with his performances for Eintracht Frankfurt this season and even though his contract expires in 2029, the club will allow him to leave at the end of this season. His current market value is €55 million and Eintracht will agree to sell him only if they receive bids in the region of €80-100 million.
Arsenal and Liverpool have been keeping tabs on the Frenchman for several months but the report suggests that Chelsea might be the favourites to sign the 22-year-old.
Should Chelsea gamble on Hugo Ekitike?
Maresca needs a new prolific goal-scorer in order to compete with teams like Arsenal and Liverpool next season and for that Todd Boehly is ready to spend money. The management is focusing on signing young talent who can remain an asset for a long time and Ekitike fits that description perfectly.
However, the Blues have been linked with numerous other strikers in recent months and most of them have better value than Hugo Ekitike.
Hugo joined Eintracht from PSG in 2023 and this is his first impactful season in Germany. He has scored 15 goals and provided 8 assists in 33 league appearances with an xG of 21.7. The Frenchman has had 117 shots on target and has created 44 major chances with a dribbling success rate of 46%.
There’s no doubt that his consistency and goals have helped the club remain in the top four of the table but even at €80 million, Ekitike is madly expensive.
Alexander Isak has been on Chelsea’s radar but Newcastle United want €150 million for him. Hugo Ekitike might be cheaper in comparison to the Swede but at around €80-90 million the Blues will have the chance to sign centre-forwards like Osimhen, Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres.
This is Hugo’s first good season with Eintracht so there’s also a chance he might turn out to be one-season wonder. In such a scenario, it makes no sense for Chelsea to gamble so much money on him.
The Blues will obviously hold negotiations with Eintracht Frankfurt in coming weeks and if the Bundesliga side is willing to lower their demands then signing him will be justified. Otherwise, Chelsea should move away from Hugo Ekitike and focus on Osimhen and Sesko both of whom will be available in the region of €70-90 million.
Players Estimated Transfer Fee
Benjamin Sesko €60-80 m
Victor Osimhen €75 m
Hugo Ekitike €80-100 m
Alexander Isak €120-150 m
Viktor Gyokeres €70-80 m