Liverpool is said to be keeping tabs on Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike after his impressive performances with the Bundesliga side.
Frankfurt is reportedly bracing itself for Ekitike’s exit after this season, setting an $87 million asking price. Notoriously tough negotiators, Frankfurt stuck to its $76 million price tag for Omar Marmoush before his move to Manchester City in January.
Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany has reported that Liverpool, alongside Arsenal and Juventus, has shown interest in the French star, while Manchester United is taking a keen look at him as a possible acquisition.
Securing the French U21 international might not come cheap, but Manchester United may lead the chase due to Ekitike’s childhood support for the Red Devils.
Dutch football legend Wesley Sneijder has lauded Ekitike, stating: “I’ll tell you, I’ve seen a lot of this boy. Now, I may say something really crazy, but I’ll say it anyway: I think he is a mix between Neymar and [Kylian] Mbappe. I sincerely mean that.
“He has that grace from Neymar but also the movements of Mbappe. Suddenly accelerating – that’s something Mbappe also has and he is only 22 years old. There is really a lot of potential in this boy.”
Speculation is also rife about the potential landing spots for Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez, with TEAMtalk reporting both Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United have entered the scene, eyeing the Uruguayan amid rumours of a possible Anfield exit.
(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
While Forest is reportedly marking a new striker high on its wish list, the Magpies might be in the hunt for a fresh face upfront if Alexander Isak’s time at the Tyneside comes to an end.
Atletico Madrid and some Saudi Arabian clubs have also been credited with an interest in Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker. Amidst a challenging campaign, Nunez opened up about his Liverpool struggles while on duty with his national team.
“[I’m motivated] to forget a little about what’s happening there [at Liverpool],” said Nunez to El Pais, admitting to his performance dip. He reminisced about his brief uplift against PSG, “Like when I came on against PSG (in France, where I provided the assist for Harvey Elliott’s goal), your confidence changes, with the idea of being able to break it in the next match.
“I’m strong in my head, since my family always supports me, and that’s the important thing to keep working and bring joy to everyone.”
