Liverpool have been linked with a whole host of players already this summer, despite the transfer window not being fully open just yet.
Jeremie Frimpong is already a Liverpool player, with moves for Florian Wirtz and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez progressing nicely.
Each of the players who have arrived at Liverpool or look set to make the move thus far are for different areas of Arne Slot’s team that needed strengthening ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Frimpong’s addition was perhaps the most necessary due to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transfer to Real Madrid, but the other two could also end up being key for Slot next term.
Photo by Nikki Dyer – LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Alongside these targets, the Anfield outfit seem to be in the market for a new number nine with Darwin Nunez’s future at the club still up in the air.
Thierry Henry told Micah Richards that Hugo Ekitike can be a frustrating player to watch
One of the many striker targets that Liverpool have been linked with is Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike.
The young Frenchman has been in fine form for the Bundesliga side this season, with both Liverpool and Chelsea rumoured to be interested in acquiring his services.
Speaking on The Rest is Football Podcast, Micah Richards has shared an inside scoop that Thierry Henry shared with him about the number nine.
“In terms of Ekitike, I’ve spoken to Thierry about him a lot and he says he’s a really, not frustrating player, but one minute he looks amazing and then the next minute he doesn’t really do the basics very well,” he said.
“But he said if he gets it right, and he improves, his ceiling could be very, very high.
“For Liverpool, it depends [on] how they want to play, do they want a striker who is going to stretch, or do they want a striker who is going to come to feet and interlink play, and that’s the only thing.
“Ekitike is not bad on the ball, but he’s more of a stretch striker really than a Firmino, coming in deep and linking play.
“Where does Wirtz fit into that, where does Szoboszlai fit into that, where does Diaz potentially fit into that. If they get Wirtz, I think they may be looking more for a player who can drop a bit. But talent-wise, he’s definitely got enough to add to this Liverpool side.”
Liverpool shouldn’t splash their cash on Hugo Ekitike this summer
Granted, Liverpool’s need for a regular-scoring number nine is fairly high, but with the amount of talent among their ranks at the moment, they could easily make do, for now at least.
The young Frenchman is the striker who has mainly been linked with the Anfield outfit, but the fact that Frankfurt are asking for a fee worth around £100million for Ekitike seems rather steep.
Indeed, he’s had a decent season in front of goal for the Bundesliga outfit, but the 2024-25 campaign was the first of his career where he’s actually been prolific.
The last three seasons of Hugo Ekitike in numbers.
Alexander Isak is Liverpool’s first choice at striker, but with Newcastle getting Champions League football, it has thrown a bit of a spanner into the works.
In addition to the Magpies finishing in Champions League spots, the fact that Liverpool are set to spend over £100million on Wirtz will be making a major dent in their war chest.
Of course, only time will tell what Slot and co choose to do, but for now, it feels like Ekitike would be a massive risk, even if he suits the Dutchman’s system perfectly.