Liverpool may need to abandon their interest in Hugo Ekitike after Eintracht Frankfurt CEO Markus Krösche’s latest comments on the German star.
Arne Slot is looking for a long-term replacement for misfiring forward Darwin Nunez and Ekitike has been very heavily linked with filling the role this summer.
The 22-year-old enjoyed an excellent 2024/25 season, scoring 22 goals for Frankfurt, as per Transfermarkt, while assisting a further 12 but he could be priced out of a move to Anfield based on comments from Krösche.
Liverpool and co. told to pay £85m or to not bother with approaching Frankfurt for Hugo Ekitike
The German press has been reporting for months now that Frankfurt value Ekitike at €100 million (£85m) but until now, there was hope that Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and CEO of Football Michael Edwards could reduce that fee.
However, those hopes were either naive or simply misinformed.
Krösche has now made it abundantly clear that interested clubs will either pay Frankfurt’s asking price or show themselves the door.
“If the price isn’t right, then he’ll simply stay with us,” Krösche said to regional paper Wiesbadener Kurier as quoted by Bulinews.
“We don’t have to sell Hugo.”
?? Markus Krösche stays firm on his valuation for Hugo #Ekitike:
“If the price isn’t right, then he’ll just stay with us. We don’t have to sell Hugo,” the Eintracht Frankfurt boss told Wiesbadener Kurier.
Frankfurt are still demanding €100m for the 22 y/o striker. Chelsea… pic.twitter.com/34badDt98J
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) June 12, 2025
Chelsea learned this the hard way. The Blues are one of the sides invited to take part in the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA this summer and they hoped to sign Ekitike during this month’s now expired mini-transfer window.
However, they did not progress to late stages of negotiations with Frankfurt on account of the asking price.
Journalist Ben Jacobs reports this week that it’s actually Liverpool, who are are more serious about signing the young forward.
He said: “Chelsea do hold an interest in Hugo Ekitike but I think it’s Liverpool who are really there
“Chelsea were never as advanced as people said.”
Is £85m for Ekitike a deal breaker?
I’m not Michael Edwards (we do share a first name) but given Liverpool just recently signed a 22-year-old striker for £85m, they may be wary of doing the same again. Nunez didn’t pay off and the Reds are now paying the price.
The Bundesliga may be a far cry more competitive than Liga Portugal but there is still a huge discrepancy between the quality of Germany’s first division and the Premier League. I do realise that may sound hypocritical given Wirtz is also coming from the Bundesliga but there are several major differences.
That said, Ekitike is far more technically sound than Nunez was at Benfica before he moved to England.
But again, in a summer where Liverpool are set to commit to an initial £85m plus £41m in add-ons for Florian Wirtz, is spending another £85m (total) for Ekitike a wise decision?
I’m not sure. I’m happy to be proven wrong because I do like Ekitike but the money Liverpool would be committing to paying would be astronomical.
