Mikel Arteta could well add a striker to his Arsenal squad over the summer but his latest target is expected to command a fee in the region of what Arsenal paid for Kai Havertz
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Alexander Isak ahead os Sweden vs Northern Ireland
Alexander Isak isn't the only striker on Arsenal's radar
(Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal are considering Hugo Ekitike as an alternative to Alexander Isak, it has been claimed. The Eintracht Frankfurt striker is the latest name to join a list of striker targets which has also - at various times - included the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Ollie Watkins.
Ekitike, who broke through at Reims, joined Frankfurt on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January 2024 before completing a permanent move the following summer. He has scored 13 Bundesliga goals this season as well as six in cup competitions, helping kept his team competitive after Omar Marmoush's move to Manchester City.
According to Sky Sport in Germany, Arsenal aren't the only club in the mix. Manchester United, Liverpool and Juventus have also been linked with the 22-year-old, who has an asking price of around £66million.
Frankfurt are said to expect to lose Ekitike this summer, albeit not on the cheap. They brought in around £60m when Marmoush joined City in January, and the next sale could net them even more - with a fee in line with the £65m Arsenal paid Chelsea for Kai Havertz in 2023.
The French frontman could become the fifth striker in the last six years to leave the club for more than £40m. Randal Kolo Muani's move to PSG remains their record sale, with Marmoush, Luka Jovic and Sebastien Haller all fetching hefty fees.
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Arsenal's links to Ekitike come after the club confirmed Andrea Berta as their new sporting director. The Italian has joined as a permanent successor to Edu, speaking of his admiration for the hard work done by the club in recent seasons.
“The club has great values and a rich history, and I am looking forward to playing my part in shaping a successful future with a great team," he said. "I cannot wait to get started in my new role and I am really looking forward to experiencing my first game at Emirates Stadium together with our supporters.”
Hugo Ekitike celebrating after Bochum vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Hugo Ekitike has 19 goals in all competitions this season(Image: AP)
It isn't the first time Ekitike has been linked with a Premier League move, with Newcastle and West Ham both linked before he joined PSG in 2022. While he failed to hold down a regular starting spot in Paris, he has been far more productive this season.
He has averaged a goal or assist every 106 minutes in all competitions this season, and played the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 weekend victory over Stuttgart. That win lifted Dino Toppmoller's team up to third, leaving them on course for Champions League qualification.
Frankfurt are also in the mix to win the Europa League, having triumphed in the competition under Oliver Glasner in 2022. Ekitike finished with a goal and an assist in the home leg against Ajax in the round of 16, setting up a quarter-final clash against Tottenham Hotspur.
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