Liverpool have ridden into the summer transfer window on the crest of a wave, having won the Premier League under Arne Slot in the first term since Jurgen Klopp packed his bags and left.
And who can say the Reds have since been resting on their laurels? Liverpool might have lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, but they swiftly replaced him with Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, then maintaining their line of communication with the German side to agree a deal for Florian Wirtz, which could rise to a British-record £116m.
With Milos Kerkez looking set to arrive from Bournemouth in the coming weeks, Liverpool will likely complete the lion’s share of their business nice and early, although one of the most pressing concerns, bringing in a new striker, will continue to hang over Anfield’s summer for the time being.
That’s because Slot’s title winners cannot advance on that front until the future of Darwin Nunez has been sorted out.
Darwin Nunez's Liverpool future
When Liverpool signed Nunez from Benfica for an initial £64m fee in 2022, they purchased one of the most talented young centre-forwards in Europe.
But the Uruguay star’s confidence and spark have eroded away against the unrelenting tide of Premier League football, swallowed and spat out by the intensity of Liverpool’s and the English game. This season, under Slot’s wing, he’s only scored seven goals, starting just one top-flight fixture since December.
Silky and stylish, Nunez was supposed to emulate his countryman Luis Suarez and former Liverpool sensation Fernando Torres in becoming one of the meanest goalscorers on the block, but it hasn’t worked out, and Slot is instead searching for a new focal frontman who could produce performances on the level of someone like El Nino.
However, it hasn’t worked out for him, and with suitors from Italy and the Saudi Pro League sniffing around, it’s probably for the best that the maverick moves on.
After all, Liverpool have already held talks with their dream successor.
Liverpool chasing new striker
As per Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool have been locked in talks with Eintracht Frankfurt for the transfer of Hugo Ekitike, and have been told his price tag is €100m (£84m).
However, FSG feel they have a fantastic chance to secure the 22-year-old striker’s signature despite rival interest from Chelsea and Manchester United, which suggests that they are confident that they can win the race for his services.
Though sporting director Richard Hughes needs to finalise Nunez’s departure before a concerted effort can be made to sign Ekitike, who is said to be aware of the situation.
What Hugo Ekitike would bring to Liverpool
Ekitike might not be the finished article, but he’s already established himself as one of the most talented forwards in the game, with analyst Ben Mattinson even hailing him as “one of the best strikers out there.”
Might it be that Slot could secure his own version of Torres in Frankfurt’s dynamic striker? Liverpool’s iconic marksman was an incredible ball-striking talent, but his intelligence, sharpness and off-the-ball movement all combined to leave the likes of Steven Gerrard marvelling at his quality, the skipper even once saying he was the “best striker in the world.”
At Liverpool, the Spaniard scored 81 goals and supplied 19 assists across 142 appearances, so it’s a pretty high bar that Ekitike is going to have to reach for, but then he, too, is more than just a goalscorer, described by journalist Graeme Bailey as being “the new Mbappe.”
Ekitike has what it takes, just look at the underlying data. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 6% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last season for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive carries and successful take-ons, and the top 19% for ball recoveries per 90.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
And that’s without even addressing his return across the 2024/25 campaign: over 48 appearances in all competitions, the former Paris Saint-Germain prospect scored 22 goals and supplied 12 assists. Clearly, he will be grateful for his move to Frankfurt.
Moreover, his 15-goal return in the Bundesliga surpassed that of any other player across Europe’s top five leagues aged 22 or younger.
His step-by-step progress appears to have borne dividends, and Ekitike is showing no sign of letting up. In a Liverpool team consisting of superstars like Mohamed Salah and Wirtz, there’s no telling how impressive the French forward could be next season.
Ekitike should take this leap, joining a Liverpool side who are in need of a high-class number nine. He might be young, but there’s already a lot of talk about this man being one of the brightest stars of his generation.
And let’s not forget, Liverpool signed Torres from Atletico Madrid when he was still in relative professional infancy, joining aged 23 in a deal worth £20m. This was back in July 2007, mind, so such a figure was considered a pretty penny indeed.
Clearly, Liverpool could hit the jackpot by sealing a deal for Ekitke, who has also been courted by the club’s divisional rivals but is surely tempted by moving to a team with such a high ceiling, Slot and Hughes bringing together a variety of different styles in a melting pot that could breed sustained success at the top of the European ladder.
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Sure, Ekitike’s finishing could do with a bit of work, but he’s already established himself as a talented forward, earning acclaim for his complete performances, which would align perfectly with Liverpool’s wider vision.
If Nunez is sold in the coming weeks or months, and Liverpool bank a healthy sum for their flagging forward, if FSG can redirect the transfer cannon toward the Bundesliga’s Frankfurt, we could be in for some exciting seasons ahead on Merseyside.
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