The Reds are interested in bringing Hugo Ekitike to the Premier League, three years after he rejected a move to Tyneside
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Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt
Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt
Hugo Ekitike could finally about to become a Premier League player, three years after he opted against a move to Newcastle United. The French striker was high on United's wishlist in the summer of 2022, but he chose to move to Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint Germain.
That move did not work out for the youngster, with gametime limited at PSG behind the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi. However, he has rekindled his career with a move to Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany.
Hiis goals helped the Bundesliga outfit qualify for next season's Champions League, with the 22-year-old hitting 15 in 33 league appearances, plus contributing a further eight assists.
His form in Germany has alerted several big-name sides, with Liverpool reported to be keen to meet his £85m asking price. Reports suggest talks have already taken place ahead of a potential deal.
Newcastle had pulled out all the stops to sign Ekitike in 2022, firstly in the January transfer window and then in the following summer. He had impressed with Reims, where he scored 11 times in 26 appearances in the 2021-22 campaign, but decided to stay in France with a big move to PSG.
Looking back on the decision in a recent interview, the striker admitted he could not say no to the French giants, even if it proved to be a difficult time for him.
"I had lots of clubs," he told UEFA. "And Paris' offer arrived. That was that. The next logical step. Paris are the biggest club in France right now, winning everything.
"They had the best players in the world. How could I say no? I told my brother. I said, 'I want to go there straight away'. That's all I told him.
"Obviously, in terms of longevity, I'm not going to say that my time in Paris was the happiest moment of my life but today, when I look back, I say to myself that maybe it was necessary.
"I've got so many goals. I've got so many things ahead of me that I don't regret breaking my back sometimes. It's all part of my journey and I'm proud of it."
Liverpool are looking to improve their forward options this summer with Florian Wirtz close to a move from Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield.
If they follow up interest in Ekitike then they could have a formidable striking line-up. However, it would likely mean that any lingering interest in Newcastle's Alexander Isak disappears.
United are also in the market for back-up options to Isak, and have been linked with a move for Ipswich striker Liam Delap. He is currently talking to several clubs over a £30m move, with Manchester United also keen on a deal.