Latest news with #MarioGötze
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Breaking The Bank For Bundesliga Star Hugo Ekitike Is A Massive Gamble
He carries the look of an NBA forward, but Hugo Ekitike isn't drawing attention from the basketball world. Instead, the French striker is subject to a mega-money transfer to one of European soccer's big heads after a bright few months with German club Eintracht Frankfurt. According to multiple reports, Premier League team Chelsea is considering an overture for the 22-year-old. And, as of Wednesday, German outlet Sky Sport includes newly-crowned English champion Liverpool in the running (German), with a €100 million ($113 million) price tag doing the rounds. In the league campaign recently finished, Ekitike averaged just under one goal per league appearance for third-place Frankfurt, scoring 15 in 33. He perhaps should have notched another seven or eight; WhoScored says he underperformed his expected goals by 7.55. All the same, they are decent numbers and show a player often involved in scoring situations. The appeal is clear. Ekitike is young, has an enviable physical presence at 6 foot 3, and attributes to give him a lofty ceiling in the game. However, for a talent so raw, as they say, he must get the right coaching at the right club at the right time. At present, he could struggle to work the same extra yard of space or pace at the highest level in England, where such margins prove the difference between setting the world alight or not. As is the case for many players, opinions on Ekitike will vary. Before linking up with Ekitike at Frankfurt, World Cup champ Mario Götze said, 'I think he has abilities that not many players have, with his dribbling, his speed, and his finishing—so he can certainly help us a lot.' It was an accurate forecast, as the number 11 became a dynamic cog in the front line. He's also taken criticism. 'Honestly, I've seen him playing… He was a little bit too young to play for a huge club like Paris Saint-Germain,' said ex-France star Emmanuel Petit after an interview relayed by FourFourTwo and others last month. 'Now he's having a good time in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt. (But) I think it's probably too soon for him to come to a top top club like Arsenal or Liverpool.' Spending around €100 million ($113 million) on Ekitike would be a serious commitment from Chelsea, Liverpool, or whoever snaps up the goal-getter should he leave 2022's Europa League winner. Both mentioned sides can upgrade with a reliable striker; regular spender Chelsea needs to ensure no wasted money amid profit and sustainability rules, while Liverpool knows its last significant center-forward investment, Darwin Núñez, didn't return the rewards it sought. If either hits the jackpot, it will have a marketable talent to help bring the riches of Champions League soccer season after season. The fact anyone will probably have to stump up a nine-figure sum to land Ekitike shows how blown up the market is today. There are only so many top-billing center-forwards, and that's the going rate, even for a forward who's only enjoyed two noteworthy seasons—at Reims and Frankfurt—in Europe's major leagues. Is a significant outlay naïve, or is Ekitike an ace in the pack over the coming years? To find the answer, an admirer needs to get the checkbook out.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Injured Götze to miss Frankfurt's game against Augsburg
Frankfurt's Mario Goetze sits injured on the pitch during the UEFA Europa League quarter final second leg soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Tottenham Hotspur at Deutsche Bank Park. Uwe Anspach/dpa Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Mario Götze will miss the Bundesliga match against Augsburg on Sunday due to injury, coach Dino Toppmöller said. Götze suffered a thigh injury during the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in the quarter-finals of the Europa League on Thursday and had to be subbed off in the 17th minute. Advertisement "Mario Götze is still undergoing tests, so we'll have to wait. He definitely won't be available for the match in Augsburg, but the other lads are all ready for the game," Toppmöller said in a news conference on Friday. The defeat resulted in Frankfurt's elimination from the Europa League. "None of us slept well – Rasmus (Kristensen) didn't sleep at all. We need to shake off the disappointment as quickly as possible," the coach said. Frankfurt need to quickly shift their focus to the Bundesliga as they aim to qualify for the Champions League. They are third, but only five points ahead Mainz, who's the first team out of the qualification zone. Advertisement "We need to turn our focus back to the Bundesliga as quickly as possible. We've won three of our last four league matches and want to carry this confidence forward into this game," Toppmöller said. Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp could make his comeback against Augsburg. He returned to team training from injury on Wednesday, but the game against Tottenham came too early for him.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Götze hailed as Frankfurt's 'lynchpin' after Europa League heroics
Eintracht Frankfurt playmaker Mario Götze was showered with praise after his gala performance in the Europa League last-16 win over Ajax Amsterdam. The man who scored Germany's winner in the 2014 World Cup final has struggled ever since, but two fine goals in Thursday's 4-1 second leg win at home had his bosses purring. "It shows how important Mario is for our young team. He was a lynchpin in the game," Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krösche told reporters after the 6-2 aggregate victory. His second goal was a lob from 40 metres out. Coach Dino Toppmöller added: "He probably shoots like that 10 times out of 10 because he simply has that technique. He deserved a lot of praise and got it." Despite the plaudits, the 32-year-old remained modest and immediately looked forward to the quarter-finals against Tottenham Hotspur. "It will be tough. We have to keep at it now," he added. Frankfurt, 2022 Europa League champions, are also pushing to finish in the Champions League next term and sit fourth in the Bundesliga before Sunday's trip to lowly Bochum.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
📸 Götze rolls the clock back with classy UEL goal vs Ajax 😍
Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt looks set to make another deep run in the Europa League after putting more than one foot in the quarter finals against Ajax this a 2-1 away win in Amsterdam during their first leg clash last week, Die Adler have jumped to a 2-0 lead in Germany's financial capital tonight to all but guarantee their place in the next round of the competition. Fans will no doubt be enjoying themselves at Deutsche Bank Park, especially after a sensational goal by former German international and Borussia Dortmund wunderkind Mario Götze. Götze's control and finish 🥶#UEL — UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) March 13, 2025 Now 32 and heading into the twilight of his career, Götze rolled the clock back to bag Frankfurt's second goal in the 25th minute when he chested down a chipped pass from Robin Koch before turning to slot past Ajax 'keeper Matheus on the half-volley. Aging like a fine Swabian Whiskey. 📸 Alex Grimm - 2025 Getty Images
