Liverpool go ALL IN on sensational £84m signing as Hughes masterplan hits top gear

Liverpool are reportedly on course to be given a full breakdown of the conditions needed to lure Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike to Anfield and are willing to ‘pay what it takes’ to get their man following Chelsea’s move for the striker.

Reds sporting director Richard Hughes has made adding a new No.9 to Arne Slot’s Premier League title-winning squad one of his top priorities this summer after record signing Darwin Nunez’s struggles since he arrived on Merseyside.

With the Uruguay international’s career at Liverpool reportedly done, the need for a new central striker at Anfield is paramount as Slot’s men look to build on the success of his incredible first campaign in charge.

The Reds have already raided the Bundesliga for Trent Alexander-Arnold’s replacement in Jeremie Frimpong, who is on the brink of sealing a £29.5million switch from Bayer Leverkusen, while a deal for a new left-back in the shape of Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez is also firmly on the cards.

There is also the jewel in the crown addition of another Leverkusen star in playmaker Florian Wirtz on the horizon for a Liverpool side that are wasting no time in significantly improving Slot’s squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

And now they are seemingly closing in on a move for Frankfurt attacker too, with a report from GiveMeSport revealing that the Reds are on the brink of discovering the required terms to sign Ekitike in the coming days.

At this stage, the Bundesliga outfit are refusing to buckle in their valuation of Ekitike, who will cost Liverpool in the region of €100m (£84m / $112m).

Their strong stance over his price point is backed up by the growing interest in the player, with Chelsea also firmly in the hunt for his signature given their need to bring in a quality No.9 also.

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Liverpool throwing everything at striker deal

The Reds first signalled their interest in the French attacker once it became clear that top target Alexander Isak would cost significantly more – even if they remain hopeful they still turn the Newcastle star’s head.

A move for Ekitike does appear much more likely though and GiveMeSpor adds that Liverpool are ‘prepared to pay what it takes’ to bring the player to Merseyside in the summer transfer window.

Ekitike spearheaded Eintracht Frankfurt towards Champions League qualification this season with his goalscoring exploits, netting 22 times and adding 12 assists in 48 games in all competitions.

He is also expected to pocket a lucrative pay rise if and when he moves to England, whether that’s at Liverpool or Chelsea, given that he currently earns £80,000-a-week in Germany.

Frankfurt are well-versed in getting exactly what they want for their top players, having arguably forced Manchester City to overpay for Omar Marmoush midway through the season.

Pep Guardiola’s men were forced to cough up an initial £59million to convince Frankfurt to sanction a move to The Etihad, which was more than Marmoush’s valuation at the time. And it’s stated that the German outfit are planning a similar approach when it comes to Ekitike.

They are certainly in a strong position, given that the 22-year-old still has four years left on his contract, although Ekitike is keen to take the next step in his career and is ready to push for an exit.

It now just remains to be seen in which order Hughes looks to do Liverpool’s business, as the Reds make up for their lack of signings in Slot’s first two windows in charge with a massive transfer splurge this time around.

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