A better signing than Wirtz: Liverpool ramp up move for "the next Mbappe"
da aviator aposta： Liverpool are gearing up for a busy summer indeed, with FSG moving swiftly to snap up the signing of Jeremie Frimpong, who is set to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back when his £30m release clause is activated.
da dobrowin： Trent’s quality is such that Liverpool need to replace him with multiple players. That’s why plans are reportedly being drawn to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, who is one of the most sought-after and talented playmakers in the world.
He’s outperformed Liverpool’s similarly fielded players this season and would likely be the star of the show under the Anfield lights next year.
Of course, this shouldn’t detract from Liverpool’s principal goal this summer: signing a new centre-forward.
Liverpool lining up new striker
Darwin Nunez is allegedly set to leave, and an upgrade is surely needed for Arne Slot’s side to do it all over again next year.
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Well, according to GIVEMESPORT, Liverpool are ‘on course to up the ante’ in their bid to sign Hugo Ekitike having sent scouts over to Germany to watch the Frenchman in action this weekend, with Eintracht Frankfurt facing Freiburg in the culminating game of the Bundesliga season.
Frankfurt, third, have benefited immensely from Ekitike’s dynamic attacking play this season, and it’s not surprising that they are seeking an £84m payment to part with their pride and joy.
£84m is no small sum, but it’s more payable than Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, who has been named a £150m player to dissuade suitors from placing bids this summer.
Why Hugo Ekitike is perfect for Liverpool
Ekitike is a young and hungry centre-forward with an immense amount of ability. He scores goals, but he also knits attacking play together, makes intelligent passes, outfoxes his opponents with agile movements.
He made headway toward the end of the 2023/24 campaign. Signed for a reported €35m (£30m) fee last summer, Ekitike had already been playing for Die Roten as a loanee for five months, blanking across his first nine Bundesliga appearances before netting four from five to close the campaign.
Now, the signs of a first-class player have been found and fostered. Across all competitions, the 22-year-old has posted 22 goals and 11 assists this season, with his all-around game leading football legend Wesley Sneijder to claim he has “the grace of Neymar” while journalist Graeme Bailey has described him as the “next Mbappe”.
Bundesliga Stats 24/25 – Hugo Ekitike
Stats (* per game)
#
Matches (starts)
32 (30)
Goals
15
Assists
7
Shots (on target)*
3.4 (1.4)
Big chances missed
15
Pass completion
76%
Big chances created
12
Key passes*
1.3
Dribbles*
1.6
Duels won*
4.2
Stats via Sofascore
There’s no question that securing Ekitike’s services would be a more important deal than bagging Wirtz, and that’s saying something. Wirtz is a phenomenal player, already one of the best in his position at 22.
But Ekitike, his age-mate, has been described as “one of the best centre-forwards out there” by analyst Ben Mattinson, and he’s only just getting started.
As per FBref, the Frenchman ranks among the top 10% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.
With an athletic and all-encompassing approach to the striker’s game, Ekitike is not just a fitting Nunez heir at number nine but indeed one of the most exciting profiles out there, with a completeness that Slot could use to fashion a new superstar.
Of course, in an ideal world, Liverpool would succeed in plucking both forwards from the German scene this summer, but it would seem prudent to address the Merseysiders’ glaring deficiency at centre-forward before turning toward the staggering sums required to win the Wirtz race.
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