How Hugo Ekitike fits in at Liverpool: PSG castoff fills striker need as Arne Slot and company go all in
CBSN
Ekitike officially joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday in a deal that could be worth over $100 million
Liverpool's ambitious summer showed no signs of slowing down on Wednesday with the signing of forward Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, a player who seems poised to become an impactful player at Anfield as the Reds build a new-look attack.
The Reds could pay a transfer fee that exceeds $100 million if all conditions are met, a sizable bet on the 23-year-old. Ekitike may have had a low profile before this summer but not because he lacks the potential to compete at the highest levels of the game – he had 24 goals and 14 assists for Frankfurt in 64 games, demonstrating a strong ability to put his chances in the back of the net as well as a talent for setting up his teammates to do the same. He reportedly also caught the attention of Chelsea and Manchester United, and most notably, Newcastle United, before landing at Liverpool during a big summer for the club.
Ekitike is not the only player Liverpool have spent big on this summer, the club paying around $400 million in transfer fees already. The most notable of their signings is midfielder Florian Wirtz, for whom they paid Bayer Leverkusen an initial fee of around $135 million, though the list also includes wingbacks Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. Each of them answers attacking needs for the Reds, who capitalized on Mohamed Salah's incredible run of form last season en route to the Premier League title but do not seem intent on resting on their laurels.
