It was confirmed on Thursday evening that Manchester United had joined arch-rivals Liverpool and Chelsea in the race for Hugo Ekitike.
The €100 million-valued (£85m) Eintracht Frankfurt whiz will be on the move this summer after informing his club of his desire to leave back in May.
As a result, the 22-year-old’s time in Germany is set to come to a premature end just over a year after he was made a permanent member of Frankfurt’s squad, having had his release clause activated back in April 2024.
Why is Hugo Ekitike so in demand?
Ekitike has scored five goals in as many appearances for France’s U21s. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
With 22 goals and 12 assists to his name in 48 appearances across 2024/2025, it’s no surprise Ekitike has quickly established himself as one of the hottest prospects in Europe.
United have already missed out on one target this summer in the form of Liam Delap, and it’s thought the primary factor behind his decision to snub the Reds for Chelsea came down to the sides’ Champions League status.
It remains to be seen if Ekitike will be of the same stance when comparing his suitors, given that both Chelsea and Liverpool secured their spots in next season’s UCL via their Premier League finishes.
Sky: United can take lead in Ekitike chase by acting efficiently
It’s up to INEOS to take their chance by acting swiftly in the coming days, however.
Chelsea kickstart their Club World Cup campaign on Monday — the same day the transfer window reopens — and will be putting their full focus on advancing in the competition, whilst also prioritising a move for Borussia Dortmund starlet Jamie Gittens.
As for the Merseyside outfit, they cannot commit to such a costly acquisition until sales are sanctioned, with Darwin Nunez at the top of the list of players deemed surplus to requirements.
Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg confirmed on Friday that outgoings ‘need to happen first’ for Liverpool to make a formal approach for the Frankfurt talisman, which Ekitike is ‘aware’ of. The fact that they’ve just pledged a whopping £100m to prise Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen has also increased their need to replenish the transfer kitty.
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