Liverpool have found out their fate for their title defence in 2025/26. The Premier League fixtures were confirmed on Tuesday morning, with Arne Slot hoping to lead his team to the title for the second year in a row.
With Florian Wirtz set to join soon, and the experience of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk in the squad, they have an exciting side. Indeed, those players and their teammates will begin the title defence on Friday, 15th August, at home to Bournemouth. Their first away trip will see them travel to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United.
mohamed-salah-premier-league-trophy-liverpool
It has already been a busy summer at Anfield, and things will now only ramp up with the announcement of the fixtures.
Liverpool's latest transfer target
Liverpool’s 2025 summer window has started quickly. They already have Jeremie Frimpong in the door, and seem set to add Wirtz and Milos Kerkez from the Cherries, sooner rather than later. Then, the attention can turn to their next reported target.
The highly reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed on YouTube, via Caught Offside, that the Reds hold "concrete interest" in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike. Romano explained that Reds ‘are involved in the story’ for the Frenchman this summer.
However, the deal can’t progress yet, because Liverpool ‘are waiting to find a solution for Darwin Nunez’, who will leave the club this summer.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Once that transfer has gone through, a move for Ekitike might speed up. The Mirror recently quoted his price at £60m, so it is safe to assume the Merseysiders will need to pay somewhere in that region.
Why Ekitike could help Salah break more records
At just 22 years of age, Frankfurt superstar Ekitike has garnered himself a fantastic reputation, having shone in the 2025/25 campaign. Football scout Antonio Mango once called him a “gem” of a footballer while journalist Graeme Bailey has outlined how some think he could be "the next Mbappe". It is easy to see why.
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The Frenchman, who came through the Reims academy, where he was born, managed to score 22 goals and grab 12 assists across all competitions last season.
He played 48 games and was a really important part of a Frankfurt side that finished third and qualified for the Champions League.
Indeed, Ekitike comes with a great pedigree in Europe, too. Of his 34 goals and assists last term, seven came in the Europa League, which included a goal away to eventual winners, and Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.
If the Reds are able to get this deal over the line, Ekitike could become the perfect player alongside Salah. The Liverpool legend was sensational yet again last season, winning the Golden Boot with his 29 goals and picking up 18 assists, too.
With 87 assists to his name in the Premier League and no signs of slowing down, there is a realistic chance that the man lovingly dubbed the “Egyptian King” by the Anfield faithful could climb higher up the list of all-time most assists in the English top flight.
Most goals & assists in Premier League history (single season - timeless)
Ryan Giggs currently tops it with 162 assists, so Salah has some way to go, but matching his assist total from 2024/25 next season will see him climb to fourth and go far ahead of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
Ekitike could be the perfect player to help get him there. His underlying stats on FBref from last season are those of a true goalscorer, with 0.53 goals per 90 minutes ranking him in the top 19% of Bundesliga forwards.
The Frenchman is a complete centre-forward, and wouldn’t just help boost Salah’s assist numbers. He is a chance creator too, averaging 1.55 key passes each game, which places him in the top 12% of Bundesliga forwards. With Salah’s eye for goal, they could form a deadly duo.
Ekitike key stats from 2024/25 Bundesliga season
Stat (per 90)
Goals
Goals and assists
Expected goals
Key passes
Shot-creating actions
Stats from FBref
There is no doubt that Liverpool’s investment this summer has been huge, but in many ways, it has to be in order to compete for the Premier League title again. Perhaps, for just £60m, Ekitike could be the missing piece in their side.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike-1
It will be fascinating to see how this move develops, but one thing is for sure: the Frenchman could form a superb partnership with an all-time legend of the Premier League.
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