Man Utd have prioritised the addition of a striker in the summer transfer window.
Manchester United will face fierce competition if they decide to pursue a move for Hugo Ekitike in the summer transfer window. United have already held initial talks to gauge the possibility of a deal for the Eintracht Frankfurt star as they look to sign a striker this summer.
Liam Delap was identified as the preferred option before he opted to join Chelsea, while Viktor Gyokeres has indicated he would rather play for Arsenal if he moved to the Premier League. It means United are back to the drawing board as they look to strengthen a key position, with Ekitike the latest player of interest.
The 22-year-old is hopeful of a summer transfer, with plenty of teams interested in a potential move, though he is not expected to come cheap. Frankfurt will demand at least a £60 million transfer fee, similar to the deal that saw Omar Marmoush move to Man City in the January transfer window, and it has even been suggested they could expect £84m for him.
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Fabrizio Romano warns about 'complicated deal'
Even if Manchester United manage to raise the funds required to sign Hugo Ekitike this summer, they will also have to convince the striker that they are the club he is best joining.
Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have all been linked with a summer move for the 22-year-old, while there is also interest from across Europe as well as the Saudi Pro League. Ekitike will look to play regularly across the coming season to secure a spot in the France squad ahead of next summer's World Cup, and might not feel Old Trafford is the best place to achieve those dreams.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano issued an update on United's interest in the striker but warned that Liverpool could soon pose a major threat to any pursuit.
“Man Utd are informed on the player situation but still very expensive," he said. "For €100m, it’s seen as a complicated deal. Don’t forget how Liverpool are involved in this story. They are waiting to find a solution for Darwin Nunez, who’s expected to leave Liverpool.
“Napoli are in contact, also interest from Saudi and more European clubs. With Darwin leaving, Ekitike is a concrete target for Liverpool. They already spoke to the agents of the player at the end of May. They’re in regular contact with people close to Ekitike.”
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