Liverpool and Chelsea receive firm Hugo Ekitike warning over $114M transfer

Liverpool and Chelsea receive firm Hugo Ekitike warning over $114M transfer

Liverpool and Chelsea have both been linked with summer moves for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, but the German side has issued a strong transfer warning.

Eintracht Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krosche has issued a stern warning to clubs interested in signing his side's striker, Hugo Ekitike, with Liverpool and Chelsea among those to have been linked with a move for the 22-year-old.

Valued at around $114 million (£84 million), Ekitike was previously at PSG, but didn't get a proper chance at the Parc de Princes. Since moving to Germany, though, he has excelled, scoring 22 and assisting 12 in the season just gone.

Frankfurt, however, is not under pressure to sell. It earned around $81 million (£59 million) from selling Omar Marmoush to Manchester City in January and has since qualified for the Champions League ahead of next season.

"If the price isn’t right, then he’ll just stay with us," Krosche told Wiesbadener Kurier, issuing a clear message to transfer suitors. "We don’t have to sell Hugo."

Darwin Nunez could leave Liverpool amid interest from Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. And Ekitike is a big talent ready to take the next step in his career in the right environment.

"In terms of Ekitike, I’ve spoken to Thierry Henry about him a lot," former Manchester City full-back Micah Richards said on the Rest is Football podcast.

"He says he’s not [necessarily] a frustrating player, but one minute he looks amazing and the next minute he doesn’t really do the basics very well. But he said if he gets it right and improves, then his ceiling could be very, very high."

Asked specifically if Ekitike could suit Liverpool, Richards added: "It depends on how they want to play. Do they want a striker who can stretch, or they do they want a striker who is going to come to feet and interlink play?

"Ekitike is not bad on the ball, but he’s more of a stretch striker than a [Roberto] Firmino coming in deep and linking play.

"Where does Florian Wirtz fit into that? Where does Dominik Szoboszlai fit into that? Where does Luis Diaz potentially fit into that?

"If they get Wirtz, I think they may be looking for more a player who can drop and Diaz can play a little bit deeper. He played a lot as a No.9 this season. But talent-wise, he’s definitely got enough to add to this Liverpool side."

Liverpool is hoping to tie up deals for Wirtz and Milos Kerkez. It will also have to sell some stars to make room in what could be a busy few weeks, with Arne Slot's side returning for pre-season training in just under a month's time.

Ekitike is a really talented player but at more than $100M, he would be a very expensive addition. He wouldn't necessarily hit the ground running, either, which would make him much less of a sure thing than, say, Wirtz.