The Premier League champions have agreed to pay Eintracht Frankfurt £69m plus a further £10m in add-ons for Hugo Ekitike in a deal that will take their summer spending to almost £300m.
Ekitike scored 26 goals and provided 14 assists in 64 matches for Frankfurt in all competitions, and will become the focal point of Arne Slot’s attack in front of another Bundesliga recruit, Florian Wirtz.
How Ekitike and Isak compare
Strikers are judged on goals more than anything else, and in that regard, Isak has the edge. He scored 23 and registered six assists in the Premier League, while Ekitike returned 15 goals and eight assists in the Bundesliga.
Those assist tallies prove there is more to their games than finishing. Isak created 11 big chances, defined as a situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score, while Ekitike managed 12.
In their first attack of the game, Frankfurt take the lead over Spurs thanks to Ekitike @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/gBbX3tadbe
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 10, 2025“He had a really nice partnership with [Manchester City’s Omar] Marmoush until he moved on, which I think is encouraging [for Liverpool].
Isak is a great outlet for Newcastle, capable of sparking a one-man counter-attack. He attempted more dribbles (91) than any other striker in the Premier League last season. The Bundesliga’s equivalent? Ekitike, with 116.
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“In transition, he is great because he carries the ball so well,” Hatchard says.
“One of the exciting things he can bring is little one-twos with Salah, Gakpo and Wirtz. You will see moments where he bursts away from a couple of players and slips someone in [on goal].”
The main difference between them – and it is a big one – is the quality of their finishing.
Two penalty misses didn’t help the Frenchman’s record. Fortunately, Liverpool have Mo Salah for those.
“If you’re looking for him to get 20-25 Premier League goals, I think that may come at some stage but is unrealistic right now.”
Beware the Frankfurt curse?
Over the past six years, Frankfurt have developed a reputation for being one of Europe’s top finishing schools for gifted attackers.
The strategy has been bad for fans who have their favourite players’ names on the back of their shirts, but very good for the club’s bank balance.
The production line whirred into gear in 2019 after they reached the semi-final of the Europa League, with their frontline of Luka Jovic, Sebastien Haller and Ante Rebic sold for well over £100m. It has maintained speed ever since.
Strikers sold by Frankfurt since 2019
2019
Luka Jovic to Real Madrid for £52.4m Sebastien Haller to West Ham for £45m Ante Rebic to AC Milan for £21.7m2021
Andre Silva to RB Leipzig for £19.9m2023
Randal Kolo Muani to Paris Saint-Germain for £76.4m2025
Omar Marmoush to Manchester City for £59m Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool for £79mJovic, Haller, Andre Silva and Kolo Randal Muani earned Frankfurt over £190m in combined transfer fees, but managed just 55 goals between them in 269 games at their next clubs, before moving elsewhere, permanently or on loan.
“Markus Krosche [Frankfurt’s sporting director] is one of the best in the business and is a very good negotiator.
“Jovic went to Madrid for big money and big expectations and couldn’t deal with it,” Hatchard says.
“Kolo Muani ended up at a club where he wasn’t the focal point and a coach with very specific requirements who didn’t fancy him.”
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As interest in Isak and Ekitike shows, Slot wanted a certain profile for his No 9.
“I don’t think Liverpool should look at the other strikers and think ‘we’re being sold a pup here’, it’s more nuanced than that,” Hatchard says.
“I think Ekitike, in terms of potential and skillset, is right up there with all of them, if not better.”
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