Arsenal
Whereas Liverpool want to land a record-breaking deal for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, the membership have now made an official strategy for Hugo Ekitike.
Information of Liverpool’s contact with Newcastle emerged on Tuesday, with the Premier League champions scoping out a possible transfer for Isak.
Although the insistence from St James’ Park is that the Swede just isn’t on the market, there are additional claims {that a} bundle value round £130 million would tempt them to half methods.
Newcastle‘s personal advances for Ekitike – together with an unsuccessful £65 million bid – recommend that they’re planning for all times with out Isak, even whether it is maintained that the 2 would play collectively.
Liverpool have now made their very own strategy for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, as The Athletic‘s David Ornstein reviews.
Whereas the specifics of the membership’s contact with Frankfurt are unknown, the chances are high that this was an preliminary enquiry to be taught what it might take to safe a deal.
Ekitike could have already communicated his willingness to go to Anfield, which seems to have additionally been the case with Isak.
That this improvement comes lower than 24 hours after Ornstein’s report on curiosity in Isak could also be telling, with it broadly perceived that Liverpool would push for Ekitike to strengthen their hand in talks with Newcastle.
A tall, nimble centre-forward snug working within the channels in addition to dropping deep to hyperlink play, Ekitike is stylistically and statistically just like Isak.
Such is the similarity of their latest output that 23-year-old is seen as one of the best like-for-like various to Newcastle‘s No. 14.
Whereas that would go well with Liverpool within the occasion they’re unable to strike a cope with their Premier League rivals, an optimist would learn the state of affairs as Newcastle having already recognized Isak’s successor.
Clearly Isak is ready to go away Tyneside and all indications are that his most well-liked transfer can be to affix Liverpool.
And whereas Newcastle are averse to promoting the Sweden worldwide, with three years left on his contract, they might be pressured into a choice if he pushes for the exit himself.
Liverpool’s public pursuit of Ekitike might due to this fact function a message for each Newcastle and Isak himself to decide swiftly.
Frankfurt are reported to worth Ekitike at round €100 million (£86.5m), which is simply away from the payment paid to signal Darwin Nunez from Benfica in 2022.
Ekitike is a chart-topping goalscorer
Whereas Liverpool’s evaluation is much extra refined, with Harvard graduate knowledge scientists and huge groups of scouts and analysts, a fast search highlights why Ekitike would stand out.
No striker aged 23 or below throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues scored greater than the Frenchman in all competitions in 2024/25.
Ekitike scored 22 targets in 48 appearances throughout the Bundesliga, Europa League and the DFB-Pokal, which is yet one more than the second-highest, fellow Liverpool goal Benjamin Sesko.
No under-23 striker scored greater than 20 and the one others to web greater than 15 had been PSG’s Goncalo Ramos (18) and Rennes’ Arnaud Kalimuendo (18), with Ligue 1 thought of the weakest of these prime 5 leagues.
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