Latest news with #Ekitike
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Chelsea move 'clear' in race to beat Liverpool to stunning £60m transfer
Liverpool are among the top European teams who have been linked with Hugo Ekitike this summer but Chelsea have stepped up their efforts to sign the France Under-21 star Chelsea are said to have stolen a march on Liverpool in the race to bring Hugo Ekitike to the Premier League by advancing in talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over a deal for the Frenchman. The Blues are among a number of top-flight sides looking for a new No.9 this summer and, like the newly minted Premier League champions, have set their sights on Ekitike after watching the 22-year-old break the 20-goal barrier for Frankfurt last season. Liverpool are poised to replace Darwin Nunez with a new frontman as they bid to build on winning the title under Arne Slot in the Dutchman's first season. And while the Reds may have finished well above Chelsea last term, a new report from L'Equipe has revealed that the Londoners have 'ramped up' their efforts to beat their rivals to a deal for Ekitike. It's said that Chelsea are now 'clear' in their attempts to sign the former Paris Saint-Germain striker, who has been valued at £60million by Frankfurt. The Blues are still on the lookout for a new marquee striker to spearhead their frontline next season, despite closing in on a £30m deal for Ipswich Town's Liam Delap. As it stands, Delap, 22, will compete with Nicolas Jackson for a starting spot under Enzo Maresca. But with the Blues back in the Champions League next year, they are pushing hard to add Ekitike to their growing pool of attackers. Landing the France Under-21 star would be a huge coup for Chelsea, who finished fourth in the Premier League and won the Europa Conference League in Maresca's maiden campaign. Axel Hellmann, a Frankfurt board member and the club's former chief executive, recently that confirmed there was strong Premier League interest in Ekitike, speculating that 'half' the clubs in England's top-flight. He said: 'I would love to have him at Frankfurt for another ten years, if possible. 'But we are realistic. He is one of the best high-potential players in Europe at the moment and he is only 22. That means he has a great future. 'He is a clever guy. He loves to listen and learn. I would love him to stay another couple of years. But the market is the market and half of the Premier League clubs are interested in signing him.'
Metro
15 hours ago
- Business
- Metro
Chelsea accelerate efforts to sign Arsenal & Liverpool target 'in recent hours'
Chelsea have ramped up their pursuit of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike in the last few hours, according to reports in France. Ekitike joined Eintracht on a permanent basis from PSG last summer and the 22-year-old hit new heights across an eye-catching Bundesliga campaign, notching 15 goals and eight assists in 33 appearances. The forward earned himself plenty of admirers with his goalscoring exploits in his first full season in German football and speculation has been mounting that a big-money move could be around the corner. Arsenal and Liverpool have been keeping close tabs on Ekitike's progress and both clubs are believed to have made initial enquiries over a proposed bid for the Frenchman. But according to L'Equipe, Chelsea have attempted to steal a march on their Premier League rivals by accelerating their efforts to sign the attacker 'in recent hours'. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. The report claims Ekitike is considering his future and mulling over his options after being ruled out of France's European Under-21 Championship campaign this with a back problem. It's understood Eintracht are aware of the strong interest in Ekitike and have responded by slapping a £60million price tag on their prized possession. Ekitike's current contract in Frankfurt runs through to June 2029. Eintracht would be in line to make a significant profit from the sale of Ekitike considering they signed the striker from PSG for a fee of around £14m last summer. In a recent interview with Sport1, Eintracht's sporting director, Markus Krosche, confirmed Ekitike could be allowed to leave if the club's demands are met by a potential suitor. 'He's one of the most interesting strikers on the European market,' Krosche said. 'Hugo has to decide that [his future]. I'm glad we have him. 'If he decides otherwise, that's our belief: if a player develops faster than us, then we let him go – as long as our demands are met.' More Trending Chelsea are targeting Ekitike in addition to Ipswich striker Liam Delap, who is set to be announced by the west London giants imminently. Delap has agreed to a six-year deal at Stamford Bridge and joins the Europa Conference League winners for a fee of £30million. The Blues are eager to strengthen their attack with the addition of one or two genuine difference-makers to ease the pressure on Nicolas Jackson, who managed just ten league goals last term. Dario Essugo, 20, became Chelsea's first signing of the summer on Sunday, with the 20-year-old midfielder joining on an eight-year contract from Sporting. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: 'I'm pretty certain' – Gary Neville names four Man Utd players who must leave this summer MORE: Man Utd or Arsenal? Bryan Mbeumo makes huge decision over summer transfer MORE: Chelsea tipped to sell 'wonderful talent' Cole Palmer in shock transfer
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Chelsea beating Liverpool to Hugo Ekitike proves Reds right again in transfer market
Hugo Ekitike is among the strikers who have been linked with Liverpool, but it sounds as though the Reds are behind Chelsea in the running to sign the Eintracht Frankfurt star. Earlier this week, it was reported that Chelsea had also moved into pole position to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town; were it any other club that was closing in on Delap and Ekitike, soccer fans' eyebrows would be raised at the prospect of a club signing two No.9s who will both expect to be first-choice picks wherever they go. Advertisement Because it's Chelsea, nobody is batting an eyelid — the Stamford Bridge club has gained a reputation in recent years for signing an inordinate amount of players. READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Florian Wirtz mega offer, Luis Diaz 'talks', Jeremie Frimpong confirmed READ MORE: Bayer Leverkusen sends cryptic Florian Wirtz social media post as Liverpool transfer edges closer Liverpool will not panic in the wake of the Ekitike development, though, and the Anfield club hasn't often got it wrong in the transfer window over the past decade or so. It's unlikely the Reds will be rushing to outbid Chelsea, so even if Ekitike and Delap end up joining the West London club, fans can rest assured that their club will have a plan in place for all eventualities. Advertisement Liverpool is already closing in on a deal to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, while Jeremie Frimpong's services have been secured, and talks are also under way to sign Milos Kerkez. The pursuit of those three players shows that Liverpool knows exactly what it is doing in the transfer market, and potentially missing out on Ekitike will not change that. Meanwhile, Wirtz's move to Liverpool imminent, according to reports in Germany. The Reds reportedly tabled a second, improved bid for the player on Friday, which could amount to €130 million ($148M/£109M). That would be a record-breaking transfer for Liverpool, but that fee is considered appropriate for a player of such high calibre and quality. Florian Wirtz is expected to join Jeremie Frimpong at Anfield -Credit:Getty Images Bayern Munich was the favorite to sign Wirtz early last week - that was even the general consensus at Liverpool - but that view has switched, with the 22-year-old expected to move to Anfield. Advertisement German outlet Bild, which first reported Liverpool's second bid, now claims it will be 'only a matter of days before the transfer is formally completed', with a contract agreed between the club and Wirtz that will run until 2030. Wirtz's former Leverkusen teammate, Frimpong, completed his move to Anfield on Friday after arriving in the UK on a private jet earlier in the week to finalize the move. He told club media: 'Liverpool fans, I'm going to give my all, my energy, my work-rate and hopefully we can win together, we celebrate together, get everything together. 'I'm just excited to be here. Thank you guys for accepting me and I won't let you guys down and I'll give you the energy that you guys want.'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Chelsea are STILL 'hoping to sign £84m-rated Bundesliga star' despite closing in on Liam Delap - as Blues seek to bolster attacking options
Chelsea are reportedly keen to still sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike despite closing in on a deal for Liam Delap. Mail Sport reported on Thursday how the Blues, still riding high off their Conference League triumph, are set to win the race to sign Ipswich forward Delap. The 22-year-old had major interest from Man United, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Everton, but he will link up with his former Man City youth coach Enzo Maresca and sign a long-term contract after Chelsea reached an agreement over his £30million release clause. With the pending addition of Delap to complement Nicolas Jackson in attack, it was expected in some quarters that Chelsea's summer business would now focus on other areas after they had been linked to Ekitike. However, according to Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg, the Delap transfer does not impact their interest in the young French striker. The report claims Chelsea are still pushing to sign Ekitike, although they face competition from several clubs, including Liverpool, who have held talks over his signing. Ekitke joined PSG as a 20-year-old after impressing at Reims, although he struggled for gametime at the Parc des Princes. But since moving to Germany, Ekitike has shown just why he is so highly rated - and he has scored 22 goals and added 12 assists in 48 games this season. Chelsea are believed to be ahead of their domestic rivals in the battle for Ekitke, who is valued at €100million (£84m) by Frankfurt. This is because Liverpool are focused on completing the additions of Bayer Leverkusen pair Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz. Meanwhile, despite Maresca favouring a system that has just one striker, Ekitike may not be the only addition on top of Delap. The Blues are also reportedly attempting to complete a deal to sign Strasbourg forward Emanuel Emegha. Emegha, a Netherlands Under 21 international, has netted 14 times in 27 Ligue 1 matches in 2024-25 and a potential move to Chelsea could come in 2026. Meanwhile, as part of the Delap transfer, talks are also ongoing over the possibility of Chelsea forward Marc Guiu going to Ipswich on loan in a separate deal. Maresca is believed to have spoken with Delap as Chelsea pitched their project after he was given permission by his club to speak with suitors. Personal terms are expected to be a formality. Ipswich paid £20m when they signed Delap from City last summer, and Pep Guardiola's side will bank 30 per cent of the fee as per their sell-on clause. The Blues are keen to get their business done early, with FIFA having introduced a June 1-10 transfer window before the Club World Cup. That tournament clashes with the Under-21 European Championship in Slovakia this summer, but Chelsea would have the power to keep Delap with them if he is signed. Delap scored 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich as they were relegated to the Championship.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool dealt transfer blow after Chelsea reach striker agreement over rivals
Liverpool are keen to add new faces to their side this summer with Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong among those who could be signed but the Reds have stumbled into an issue with another Bundesliga star Chelsea are not ready to shelve their transfer interest in Hugo Ekitike, despite agreeing a deal to sign Liam Delap. Liverpool manager Arne Slot had already identified the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, with talks progressing over a move. He was seen as a possible replacement for Darwin Nunez - the Uruguayan striker having been linked with an Anfield exit over the coming months. But it appears that a move to Merseyside is no longer the only option for Ekitike if he wants to make the move to England. According to Sky in Germany, the forward is being eyed by Premier League rivals Chelsea. It is suggested that the Blues are still pushing for his signing despite also being on the verge of sealing a deal for Liam Delap. Chelsea have decided to activate a £30m release clause written into his contract at Portman Road. Manchester United were previously credited with an interest but now appear to have fallen behind in the race for Delap. The former Manchester City forward has enjoyed a productive debut campaign with Ipswich having netted 12 goals despite the club's instant return to the Championship. Ekitike, 22, has also shone this term having netted on 22 occasions in all competitions for Eintracht Frankfurt. Speaking recently, former Frankfurt CEO and current board member, Axel Hellmann, confirmed there was Premier League interest in Ekitike. He said: 'I would love to have him at Frankfurt for another ten years, if possible. 'But we are realistic. He is one of the best high-potential players in Europe at the moment and he is only 22. That means he has a great future. 'He is a clever guy. He loves to listen and learn. I would love him to stay another couple of years. But the market is the market and half of the Premier League clubs are interested in signing him.' He added: 'Besides the Premier League, there are other markets for him that he has opened doors to with his performances. I think he would also fit in other leagues and with big clubs in Southern Europe.' Ekitike started his career with French side Reims before he made a big-money move to Paris Saint-Germain. He was loaned to Frankfurt last term, with the German club activating a permanent option in the deal. He still has four years left to run on his contract. Away from Ekitike, Liverpool look set to sign two of his Bundesliga colleagues. Jeremie Frimpong has flown to the UK to undergo a medical, while his Bayer Leverkusen team-mate Florian Wirtz has also been identified as a major target.
