Arne Slot's Liverpool are reportedly interested in bringing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike to Anfield this summer, and the Frenchman comes highly recommended
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Hugo Ekitike.
Hugo Ekitike could be on the move this summer(Image: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
Hugo Ekitike is a name being floated about from Liverpool's transfer shortlist, with an asking price of £84million – and a former Champions League winner believes the striker is a "mix between Neymar and [Kylian] Mbappe."
The Eintracht Frankfurt forward has attracted interest from a number of Premier League sides, including the Reds, Chelsea and Arsenal.
Enzo Maresca's Chelsea – who won the UEFA Conference League on Wednesday night – are reportedly showing the most signs of securing Ekitike's signature, with Frankfurt demanding up to £84m to let him go. The transfer speculation is unsurprising given the striker's eye for goal, with 22 strikes and 12 assists registered across all competitions this season.
Frankfurt secured Champions League football for next season at the weekend, following a 3-1 win over SC Freiburg to conclude their Bundesliga campaign.
However, Liverpool's recent Premier League title triumph and consistent showings in Europe may well be the tipping point in convincing Ekitike to head to Anfield, should the Reds stump up the cash.
Former Real Madrid and Inter Milan star Wesley Sneijder has given his thoughts on the striker's prolific nature this season, as he was left stunned by the 22-year-old's performances in the Europa League this season.
Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt celebrates scoring his team's third goal with teammate Fares Chaibi during the Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 at Deutsche Bank Park on April 13, 2025 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
The French striker has impressed in Europe this season(Image: Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
Following a 2-1 win in Europe over Ajax in March this season, Sneijder made the comparison between Ekitike and some of football's ultimate flair players. He said: "I might say something really crazy, but I’ll say it anyway: I think he’s a mix between Neymar and [Kylian] Mbappé. I sincerely think so.
"He has the grace of Neymar, but also the movements of Mbappé. To suddenly accelerate, that’s something that Mbappé also has. And he’s only 22 years old. There’s really a lot of potential in this boy."
Liverpool fans may start getting excited at the prospect of Ekitike leading the line at Anfield, but the young striker is yet to make his intentions clear for his future with Frankfurt. Following the confirmation of their qualification for the Champions League, the Frenchman posted a cryptic message on social media.
Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt celebrates the victory after the Bundesliga match between Sport-Club Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt at Europa-Park Stadion on May 17, 2025 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
Eintracht Frankfurt secured Champions League next season
On Instagram, Ekitike wrote: "Yea you can write that in the books. We go to Champions League." Whether he'll be a part of their next chapter remains to be seen.
The 2025/26 season will mark just the third time in Frankfurt's history that they will compete in the elite European competition.
They reached the final in 1960 – losing 7-3 to Real Madrid at Hampden Park – and then the round of 16 over 60 years later in the 2022/23 season, where Napoli dumped them out 5-0 on aggregate.
Ekitike's Instagram post doesn't make his intentions for next year any clearer, though Liverpool fans will be hoping that the allure of silverware and success at Anfield would be enough to convince any player to head to England this summer.