Hughes masterclass to deliver 'perfect centre-forward' to Arne Slot

Liverpool have reportedly stepped up their pursuit of top striker target Hugo Ekitike after learning of Newcastle United’s intentions to try and hijack a deal, with clubs seemingly given the green light to move for the impressive frontman.

The Reds have turned to the Eintracht Frankfurt attacker after being priced out of a move for their initial No.1 target, Alexander Isak, despite also being put off by the German club’s asking price of £86m (€100m / $116m) for Ekitike.

However, there is belief that Frankfurt will ultimately lower that fee in order to secure the sale of one their prized assets – news that has alerted a number of clubs, including Liverpool and Newcastle.

The France Under-21 international scored 22 goals and laid on 12 assists in 48 games for all competitions for the Bundesliga outfit last season. However, the fact that Frankfurt recently signed former Manchester United target Jonathan Burkardt as his potential replacement has ramped up talk that Ekitike could well be on the move.

Indeed, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Liverpool are ‘working on a deal’ but need to offload former record signing Darwin Nunez first, although Newcastle joining the running for Ekitike has now seen them up the ante to try and get a deal over line.

As per a report from Friday, Anfield intermediaries, including highly-rated sporting director Richard Hughes, have informed Frankfurt that the Reds will soon begin official talks to try and forge an agreement.

As for the player himself, it’s reported that Ekitike is thrilled at the prospect of joining the current Premier League champions, where he would be a guaranteed starter.

The same cannot be said if he ends up moving to St James’ Park, where Isak is undroppable and Eddie Howe rarely plays two central strikers.

However, for Liverpool, it’s a case of getting Nunez out the door as quickly as possible in order to then turn their interest in a player who was showered with praise for his performances last season into a big-money new signing for Arne Slot.

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Ekitike dubbed ‘the perfect centre-forward’

If Hughes can strike a deal for Ekitike, Liverpool will be signing one the most sought-after attacking players in European football, adding to their already impressive summer of additions so far.

The Reds have already smashed their transfer record to land Florian Wirtz, while two new full-backs have also walked through the door in Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

Frenchman Ekitike would give them a new No.9 with pace, power and lethal finishing ability who drew plenty of praise for what he delivered on the pitch last season.

Indeed, former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves was particularly impressed with what he has seen from Ekitike, who he sees as a player who can go ‘right to the top’.

Speaking to TNT Sports about the 23-year-old during Frankfurt’s run to the Europa League quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by eventual winners Tottenham, Hargreaves said: “The thing that impresses me about him, even in the warm-up, the size of him and technically, he’s very good, his link-up play is really good, he’s a great finisher, he’s got everything – he looks like the perfect centre forward.

“If you think about the best of the best, England and France have some of the best young talents in the world. They played about a month ago, our England Under-21 team is brilliant – he scored a hat-trick.

“He’s at an incredible level already, he’s gone to PSG, he’s at Frankfurt, he’s going to go right to the top”.

Hugh praise indeed for a player who could very soon be plying his trade in the Premier League. Liverpool will just be hoping that it is for them.

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How Ekitike compared to Nunez last season

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