Liverpool have completed their year-long pursuit of a new striker with the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike. The 23-year-old France Under-21 international has joined the Premier League champions on a six-year contract, pushing Liverpool’s summer spending beyond the £250 million mark. This new strength reflects Liverpool’s restored status as one of Europe’s elite, a far cry from earlier decades when the club regularly lost out on key targets to the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea.
00:00Liverpool have completed their year-long pursuit of a new striker with the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekertike.
00:08The 23-year-old France Under-21 international has joined the Premier League champions on a six-year contract, pushing Liverpool's summer spending beyond the £250m mark.
00:19The deal, believed to be below Ekertike's £86.5m release course, was finalised after months of negotiation, with the striker making his clear ambition to join Anfield.
00:32Interests from Newcastle United and Manchester United had earlier complicated the transfer, but Liverpool's swift and decisive approach saw them secure his signature ahead of their pre-season tour in Asia.
00:44Ekertike arrives as the long-awaited upgrade on Darwin Nunez, who is expected to depart this summer.
00:52Liverpool are actively working to offload Nunez, with interested clubs from Italy and Saudi Arabia reportedly prepared to meet a valuation of at least £70m.
01:04The French striker fits perfectly into Liverpool's recruitment profile.
01:08A young talent, highly rated at youth level, who experienced a big move to Paris Saint-Germain before proving his worth, with stand-out performances in the Bundesliga and Europa League for Frankfurt.
01:22Ekertike is Liverpool's third major signing from German football this summer.
01:26Joining Florian Wurtz, signed for a British record £116m from Bayer Leverkusen and Jeremy Frimpong, also from Leverkusen.
01:35F-back Milos Kierkez was brought in from Bournemouth for £40m.
01:41Under Arne Schlott's guidance, Liverpool have established themselves as England's dominant club once more.
01:48This new strength reflects Liverpool's restored status of one of Europe's elite, a far cry from earlier decades, when the club regularly lost out on key targets to the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.
02:00With signings like Wurtz and Ekertike taking place, Anfield has re-emerged as the top destination for world-class talent, reminiscence of the club's glory days in the late 70s and late 80s.
