Chelsea and Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing 22-year-old French striker Hugo Ekitike from Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Simon Phillips on his Substack channel, Chelsea and Liverpool are vying for Hugo Ekitike in the summer transfer window. The Eintracht Frankfurt striker has piqued the attention of the Premier League bigwigs with his exploits for the Bundesliga club. However, the Reds are ahead of the West London outfit in the battle for the Frenchman’s signature.
The rise and rise of Hugo Ekitike
Hugo Ekitike has resurrected his stuttering career since joining Eintracht Frankfurt from Paris Saint-Germain. The French attacking prospect could not stamp his authority at PSG and joined the Bundesliga club on loan in February 2024 before completing a permanent move in the subsequent summer transfer window. Interestingly, his success has seen him being called a mix of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe by Wesley Sneijder.
The 22-year-old has been exceptional thus far in the 2024/25 campaign, contributing to 34 goals in 48 appearances across all competitions. Ekitike has found the back of the net 22 times and provided 12 assists. Meanwhile, the youngster’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe.
Premier League bigwigs, in particular, are keen on signing the Frenchman, with Chelsea and Liverpool among the prospective suitors vying for his signature. However, the Blues have fallen behind the Merseyside outfit in the battle for the signature of the Eintracht Frankfurt striker.
Premier League move on the horizon?
Chelsea’s interest in Hugo Ekitike is understandable. The Blues are keen on signing a striker in the summer transfer window to add to the competition for Nicolas Jackson’s spot. While Marc Guiu is promising, he is not ready to become the first-choice centre-forward. So, the Eintracht Frankfurt star has emerged as a viable target for Chelsea.
As for Liverpool, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota face an uncertain future at Anfield heading into the summer transfer window after becoming unreliable options for Arne Slot. So, Ekitike is an option worth considering. Meanwhile, the Frenchman will unlikely come cheap.
So, while Liverpool may be in the pole position to beat Chelsea to Ekitike’s signature, the deal will not be straightforward. It will be interesting to see where the 22-year-old French striker lands in the summer transfer window.