Latest news with #HugoEkitike
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fabrizio Romano Drops Hint on Liverpool's Striker Pursuit
Liverpool Position Themselves for Hugo Ekitike After Chelsea Cool Interest Liverpool are actively working behind the scenes to reshape their forward line this summer, with the club keen to recruit a new striker amid mounting expectations that Darwin Nunez will depart. According to Fabrizio Romano, Nunez is now 'guaranteed' to leave Anfield, and Napoli are understood to be leading the chase for the Uruguayan forward. Advertisement That exit, long anticipated by many within the club and the fanbase, has prompted Liverpool to step up plans for an elite-level replacement. Despite winning the Premier League title in Arne Slot's first season in charge, there is clear intent to strengthen and evolve, particularly in the attacking third. Ekitike Interest Remains Strong Despite Price Tag Among the most frequently linked names is Hugo Ekitike. The French forward has attracted attention from several top European clubs, with Liverpool showing consistent interest in the 22-year-old since January. Reports indicate that the Reds have been monitoring Ekitike's situation closely, despite hesitation over the €100 million valuation placed on him. Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg recently confirmed that Liverpool were actively competing with Chelsea for the striker's signature. Advertisement While the fee has proved a stumbling block for many suitors, Liverpool's recruitment department has not been deterred. The club continues to assess their options, with the long-term value and ceiling of Ekitike making him an attractive proposition. Romano Hints at Breakthrough in Pursuit In his latest YouTube update, Fabrizio Romano dropped a noteworthy development that could significantly affect Liverpool's path forward. Romano revealed that Chelsea are now prioritising a move for Brighton's Joao Pedro, a player who has also impressed Liverpool scouts in the past but who has not been pursued formally. Romano said: 'Chelsea are firmly interested in Joao Pedro of Brighton.' Advertisement Crucially, he added that Chelsea have cooled their interest in Hugo Ekitike, largely due to the fee involved. This shift appears to remove one of Liverpool's most significant rivals from the race, offering Arne Slot's team a potentially clear run at the player if they choose to push ahead. This update is being interpreted as a major signal that Liverpool are now favourites for Ekitike, should they decide to table a formal offer. The club's activity behind the scenes suggests that such a move is very much on the table, particularly if priority target Alexander Isak is deemed unavailable. Photo: IMAGO All Eyes on Liverpool's Next Move With the exit door now open for Nunez and Chelsea's interest in Ekitike appearing to cool, Liverpool find themselves in a promising position. The Reds have the financial firepower and Champions League football to tempt the Frenchman, and Arne Slot's project already boasts a title-winning foundation. Advertisement Romano's latest comments are not an outright confirmation, but they serve as the clearest hint yet that Liverpool have edged into pole position for one of Europe's most highly regarded young strikers. As it stands, the decision now appears to rest with Liverpool.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mark Goldbridge: Who Should Lead the Line for Man United
Manchester United Transfers: Striker Search Becomes Tug of War Manchester United's transfer window drama continues, with manager targets, agents, and rival clubs creating a chaotic marketplace. On the latest episode of The United Stand, Mark Goldbridge laid out the current striker landscape, comparing stats and questioning both value and fit for several high-profile names. Osimhen Deal 'Not Viable' as Agent Games Take Over Goldbridge opened with strong words on Victor Osimhen, stating, 'Osimhen will not come to Manchester United.' He pointed out the growing influence of Al Hilal, who 'still believe that a deal can be done' after missing out during the Club World Cup. Advertisement More importantly, Osimhen's financial demands appear unrealistic. Goldbridge suggested, 'His agent is probably going around Europe saying we could have earned this money in Saudi, so we want ridiculous money here.' Adding to the doubt, he noted that 'Man United and AC Milan are not seen as front runners,' since Osimhen's priority is Champions League football. In Goldbridge's view, the striker market cannot be allowed to drag on. 'I think we've got to be a little bit more robust… I don't know that it's a player we can afford to waste time on.' Hugo Ekitike: 'Plan C' at a Steep Price Manchester United have made 'concrete' contact over Hugo Ekitike, but concerns are mounting over both price and profile. 'It's a hundred million euros,' Goldbridge said bluntly. 'That's not right… this is the Bundesliga. Since when were players from Frankfurt going for a hundred million euros?' Advertisement Despite Ekitike's creativity, Goldbridge stressed the lack of goals. 'He's not a goal scorer… literally isn't a goal scorer.' With just a 15% goal conversion rate and 0.51 goals per 90, Goldbridge raised doubts over paying a premium. 'If you drop him into a Manchester United shirt… pressure, foreign, media, rivals – it's a lot.' Reflex, a viewer, did offer a more optimistic take: 'I watched Ekitike, I think he could be a top striker.' But even Goldbridge admitted, 'As a Plan C option, I'm not going to sit here and say that's bad.' Gyokeres Remains a Waiting Game With Arsenal prioritising Sesko, United's interest in Viktor Gyökeres is far from over. Goldbridge explained the situation as 'basically where we were three weeks ago,' after confusion caused by reports of Arsenal bids that never materialised. 'United remain cautious and are monitoring the situation,' he read from Fabrizio Romano's latest update. Advertisement Mark didn't shy away from the realities of the race. 'If Arsenal want Gyökeres, they probably win the race. But if they don't, then we've got a great chance again.' Fan Frustration Peaks Over Striker Targets Beyond stats, fans and contributors voiced concerns. Mike JW posted, 'Ekitike is vastly overpriced, he's also not good enough.' JJ added, 'We need someone who's ready – Ekitike isn't.' Meanwhile, Ke summed it up: 'Would we not be better keeping the hundred million euros and just playing Zirkzee up front?' Goldbridge compared the two directly: 'I don't actually see a world of difference… in outputs.' With Zirkzee matching Ekitike's 15% goal conversion rate and bettering him on some metrics, Goldbridge pressed the case: 'Why would you not just play Zirkzee up front instead of spending 100 million pounds on Ekitike?' Concluding Thoughts Manchester United's striker hunt is shaping up to be the defining saga of the summer. Whether they pivot to Gyökeres, revisit Osimhen, or risk it all on Ekitike, the next move must be decisive. Goldbridge put it best: 'We need a goal scorer… it's not about how shiny the toy is, it's what the toy does.'
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Why Hugo Ekitike is hot property in the summer transfer window
Alexander Isak is a man in demand this summer. Liverpool and Arsenal have been linked with the Swede. It would take a monumental bid to convince Newcastle to sell their prized asset, and for good reason. Isak scored 23 goals in the Premier League in the season just finished; only Mohamed Salah (29) scored more. With few, if any, clubs prepared to match Newcastle's reported £150m asking price, those keen on Isak could do worse than make a move for a striker whose style is eerily similar to that the Sweden international. An Isak-lite, if you will. Hugo Ekitike is hot property on the forward market after he enjoyed a fine campaign for Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring 15 times and providing eight assists. Omar Marmoush took the plaudits in the first half of the season, but the Egyptian's £59m move to Manchester City in January allowed Ekitike to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight. The 22-year-old flourished with the added responsibility of leading the line for Eintracht, which was especially impressive given that they changed from a two-man striker approach to playing Ekitike as a lone frontman. Most of the top clubs in England are in the market for a player who can lead the line, so it's no surprise that Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United have all been credited with an interest in Ekitike. After an indifferent spell with PSG, the young Frenchman's development is very much back on track in Germany. What stands out about Ekitike is not just his goals return, but the variety of ways with which he can hurt teams. His eight assists this season stemmed from 44 key passes, the 24th best return in the Bundesliga. His desire and ability to bring others into play will appeal to buying clubs. Managers no longer want their forwards to just put the ball in the back of the net, but to act as selflessly as possible, whether that means providing chances for others or drifting to the flanks to open up space for wide forwards. The 23-year-old (who is celebrating his birthday this week) does this to a high standard. He likes to pull out wide to allow wingers to cut inside and wreak havoc upon defences. Arsenal and Liverpool, whose wide forwards love to cut in on their stronger feet, would certainly benefit from this approach. When Ekitike pulls wide, he has the requisite low centre of gravity to take on defenders. At 6ft 3in, he has good feet for a big man. Ekitike completed the sixth most dribbles (52) in Germany's top tier this term. Not only does he look to put opponents on the back foot but his hold-up play and dribbling help to alleviate pressure on his own team's goal. He can also press well. Having won possession in the attacking third 20 times – the 11th highest in the Bundesliga – his ability with the ball at his feet, combined with his desire to press hard and high, adds to the young striker's appeal. That said, Ekitike is far from the finished product, which shouldn't come as a shock given his age and relative lack of experience at the very top level. He is confident in front of goal – he took more shots (117) than any other player in the Bundesliga this season – but his finishing did not always match his ambition. Only Serhou Guirassy (25.41) and Harry Kane (23.29) generated more xG than Ekitike (22.55); the issue was that Ekitike's xG underperformance of 7.55 was far and away the largest in the league. A lack of composure in the final third shouldn't come as a surprise given his age but it is an area in which he needs to improve to fulfil his potential. Manchester United fans may be wary of their club signing another striker who needs a lot of chances to score given their frustrations with Rasmus Højlund this season. Time, though, is very much on Ekitike's side. With the right coaching, his xG underperformance should come down. If he maintains his current approach, and does not dip in confidence like Højlund, he should be more than capable of scoring at least 20 league goals per season from here on out. With a number of high-profile strikers on the market this summer – Viktor Gyökeres, Benjamin Sesko, Victor Osimhen and Rodrygo may leave for pastures new this summer – Ekitike could be part of a major transfer merry-go-round across the continent. Given he may be available for as little as £60m, he is perhaps the best value-for-money frontman in Europe. The rough edges need smoothing but his style of play and ability to operate on his own or with a partner means he should be high on the wishlists of Europe's powerhouse sides. This is an article by WhoScored
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
That name you keep hearing: Hugo Ekitike. Exactly how good is the Chelsea and Man Utd target?
Seen enough of Jonathan David? Not too fussed regarding Benjamin Sesko? A Viktor Gyokeres skeptic? Well, how about the next name on the carousel of striker transfer speculation, Hugo Ekitike? As reported in The Athletic's DealSheet on Monday, Manchester United have enquired about the availability of the Eintracht Frankfurt forward in recent weeks, and he's also on the radar of Chelsea. The German club are adamant that the Frenchman will not leave for less than their €100million (£85.5m; $115m) asking price — just over six times what they paid Paris Saint-Germain for him last year — but are willing to be flexible around the structure of a deal. Advertisement It might seem an audacious stance, but having secured Champions League football for next season, Frankfurt have little reason to sell. They have banked sizeable fees from parting with Randal Kolo Muani, Willian Pacho (both to Paris Saint-Germain) and Omar Marmoush (to Manchester City) within the past two years, and don't believe that Ekitike — who got 22 goals and 12 assists for them last season — has reached his potential with the club. Yet Ekitike's elegance on the ball and increasing confidence in front of goal are turning heads. Combine that with his height (190cm/6ft 3in), marked defensive appetite and youth — he turns 23 tomorrow (Friday) — and Europe's superclubs are likely to test Frankfurt's resolve before the window shuts on September 1. But specifically, what would he bring to Manchester United or Chelsea? The Athletic analyses his game to find out. Ekitike has made significant progress during his 18 months in the Bundesliga. He initially arrived at Frankfurt on loan in January 2024 after only playing limited minutes at PSG, where Kylian Mbappe was still the main attacking force. It took time, but the young forward began to hit his stride as that season came to a close, scoring or assisting in each of Frankfurt's final five league games. With the move made permanent in the summer, Ekitike picked up where he left off in the new season, dovetailing nicely in a strike partnership with Marmoush at the top of a quick counter-attacking side. No team generated more expected goals (xG) from Opta-defined fast breaks than coach Dino Topmoller's lads across Europe's top four leagues last season, and Ekitike was central to most of those moves. His profile is suited to exploiting the space on the transition: a rangy dribbler out wide with a knack for arriving in dangerous areas to finish. He was the only centre-forward in Europe's top five leagues last season to take over 200 touches in the opposition penalty box and to carry the ball into it at least 50 times — he is both a provider and a poacher when his team can move quickly upfield. He starts the following move against Bochum with an alert interception, swaying his way back into midfield before powering past his marker and into space out on the wing. Bringing the bounce-pass under control, Ekitike wastes no time in making his way to the penalty area, cutting the ball back for Jean-Matteo Bahoya to shoot. Not only powerful and difficult to contain, Ekitike's directness often gives the opposition little time to recover their shape. Against Eintracht Braunschweig in August, Ekitike picks up the ball on the opposite side, barging his way into the box after a neat one-two with Marmoush. He follows up his run with an outside-of-the-boot cross to find Fares Chaibi in the middle to score. It's a technique that Ekitike resorts to often, able to dig out difficult passes with consistent accuracy. With space to gallop into, Ekitike's ball-carrying can make a huge impact — Mbappe, now at Real Madrid, was the only centre-forward to complete more dribbles of 10+ yards that led to a team shot in 2024-25. As we can see from his forward carries map below, Ekitike is very happy to drift across the final third to get on the ball, equally lively on both flanks and very dynamic from his striker's role. Ekitike sometimes plays more like a winger than a centre-forward, his long, lean frame and desire to dribble drawing comparisons to Alexander Isak. Much like the Newcastle and Sweden striker, he can produce something from very little, able to slalom between defenders and find the corners from distance. Advertisement Here against Bayern Munich, for example, Ekitike receives a crisp pass with his back to goal, before taking a decisive touch to cut inside and wriggling between two defenders. Once away, he is quick to shoot, catching goalkeeper Manuel Neuer off-guard with a curling shot into the far corner. There was also a laser-like finish from a similar area away to Tottenham, and Ekitike bent one in from that left side following a nutmeg against Ajax. As impressive as his dribbling can be, Ekitike is sometimes prone to some poor decision-making after winding runs, particularly after he beats one or two men. Take the clip below against Bayer Leverkusen — he does brilliantly to escape the corner flag with a clever flick, and shows great power to charge into the area, but then decides to take on the shot when he's clearly off-balance, turning down the easy lay-off to a team-mate on the edge of the box. It's something that can be worked on, but over-excitement after a positive action goes some way to explaining why his shot accuracy of 40 per cent is lower than that of most elite strikers in Europe. That said, Ekitike is plainly a force to be reckoned with on the counter. United's interest in him makes sense, given head coach Ruben Amorim's preference for tall, focal-point centre-forwards who can run the channels and bring others into play, while his natural positivity could flourish at the Old Trafford club with the similarly ambitious Bruno Fernandes moving the ball up to him quickly. We shouldn't discount Liverpool either — ruthless on the break, and potentially in the market for a No 9 should Darwin Nunez leave. If anything could push United into making Frankfurt an offer, the fear of missing out on him to their bitter rivals might well spur them on. Ekitike isn't just about open spaces and tricks on the wing — he has an eye for a killer pass in the final third. His technical ability often translates to sharp interplay around the penalty area, while his agility, as well as his awareness under pressure, sees him take some surprising touches at crucial moments, including a cheeky back-heeled assist after bursting into the box against Borussia Monchengladbach in 2023-24. Advertisement Here, against Werder Bremen, he originally looks to dart between the two centre-backs to attack the near post in frame one. Nathaniel Brown's cross is pulled behind him, but Ekitike reacts quickly to halt his forward momentum, sort out his feet and lay the ball off for Mario Gotze to score, his physical dominance clear as he holds off a defender with ease. Similarly, against Hoffenheim, Ekitike produces a deft first-time pass on the break. As Marmoush races forward down the right, he drops off to receive the pass, before sharply twisting his hips and punching the ball into the path of an onrushing Hugo Larsson to score. Though it can sometimes look unorthodox, Ekitike is clearly very intelligent around the box, with the variety of his link-up play repeatedly catching defenders off-guard. When he does attack the box, it's that raw pace and his eye for goal that gets him into position before defenders. Only four players — Mbappe, Barcelona duo Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah — generated more combined expected goals (xG) and expected assists (xAG) in 2024-25, outlining his double threat. A closer look at his shotmap shows an ability to sniff out a chance in the penalty area, with eight goals from inside the six-yard box including powerful headers, bundled finishes and tap-ins after well-timed runs. Something else that stands out is Ekitike's underperformance relative to his expected goals. While his output was excellent in a Frankfurt team tailored to his strengths on the counter, able to fashion chances at a healthy rate, there are concerns that his shooting technique might not guarantee goals over the long run, particularly if opportunities start to dry up. Ekitike's ball-striking is not hugely consistent, and for every time he pulls a rabbit out of the hat with a cleanly-hit finish, there are instances where he struggles to wrap his body around the ball. Against Gladbach below, for example, it gets stuck under his feet. It's harder for such a tall striker to adjust his body, but he persists and goes for the shot, but is unable to get enough power behind his effort. Putting Ekitike at the top of a more structured, possession-based side, where the centre-forward is less likely to have as much freedom to roam, banks on his instinctive finishing and technique in tight spaces to hold up. He doesn't often play against lower blocks, and isn't always able to rely on his ball-striking — the way former team-mate Marmoush can — to make the difference in stodgier games. His back-to-goal play is generally good, able to hold defenders off and link the play with one-touch passes and simple lay-offs. That said, a move to Chelsea — unless he was to play off their new No 9 Liam Delap — risks curbing the most natural part of his game. At full flow, Ekitike is a delight to watch, floating across the attacking third with the grace that is unexpected of a player with his build. But he is at his most destructive when he moves with the game, switching positions, picking his moments to hang back, attack the box, or drift out wide to drive the team up the pitch. Another season in Frankfurt — which is an ideal place for him to flourish — might provide more evidence that his game can translate to other leagues.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Man Utd discover hefty Hugo Ekitike price tag as Frankfurt make statement
Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike has emerged as a candidate for Manchester United as they aim to add to their attacking options but it could be a costly deal for the Red Devils to do Manchester United will have to pay £60m to sign Hugo Ekitike this summer. A striker is on the Red Devils' shopping list all summer following some serious goalscoring issues last term. A number of candidates have been mentioned as potential recruits but so far, United have been left frustrated in their attempts to sign a new forward. They were originally interested in a move for Liam Delap, only for Chelsea to steam in and seal a deal for £30m. Viktor Gyokeres also had admirers at Old Trafford but as it stands, the Sporting Lisbon star prefers a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal - although they might not prefer him, amid their interest in Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig. That has forced United to look elsewhere, and, as first reported by The Times, they are interested in a move for Frankfurt forward Ekitike and could compete with Liverpool for his signature. But a deal won't be cheap. The Bundesliga side have slapped a minimum £60m price tag on the Frenchman after his excellent breakthrough season. But given they are also under no pressure to sell having earned around £63million in January from Omar Marmoush's move to Manchester City and having done some outstanding business in recent windows - particularly when it comes to strikers - that figure may well rise as we move forwards through the summer window. Even then, paying big might not be enough. Because Frankfurt have already warned they may simply eschew options out there and decide to keep Ekitike and build around him next season. Frankfurt chief Markus Krosche has already made clear they will not undersell their star asset. He said: 'If the price isn't right, then he'll simply stay with us. We don't have to sell Hugo.' "He's one of the most interesting strikers on the European market. Hugo has to decide that," added at the end of the season. "I'm glad we have him. If he decides otherwise, that's our motto: If a player develops faster than us, we let him go." Ekitike, 22, joined Frankfurt permanently from Paris Saint-Germain last summer following a loan spell with the side. He scored 22 goals in all competitions last season. Ironically, the young forward has already dropped a hint over his future amid interest from Man United and Liverpool. He revealed that he was once a childhood Red Devils fan. Speaking in December last year, he said: 'My favourite club as a child was Manchester United. I've always admired them." Away from Ekitike, Man United are also chasing the signing of Bryan Mbeumo. The Brentford forward has already expressed his desire to move to Old Trafford this summer but a switch might not be straightforward. Tottenham are also keen, with ex-Brentford boss Thomas Frank targeting a reunion in North London.
