Liverpool tipped to look elsewhere after ‘huge’ Hugo Ekitike reveal
Hugo Ekitike’s £84million price tag is a “huge risk” for Liverpool in their pursuit of a new number nine this summer.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told Liverpool to “look elsewhere” before they decide to pay such a sizeable fee for the striker.
Ekitike scored 15 goals in 33 Bundesliga games for Eintracht Frankfurt this season with a total of 22 in all competitions, and that has led the Europa League semi-finalists to place an £84m valuation on his head.
However, Robinson has told Football Insider that after just “one good season” with Frankfurt – only the second of his career in which he’s scored over five goals – Ekitike‘s price tag would be a “huge risk”.
Chelsea are ready to pay that £84m transfer fee in order to solve their own number nine problems, but Robinson urged Liverpool to refrain from such an inflated price as Arne Slot pursues an upgrade up front.
Ekitike valuation leaves Liverpool with easy transfer decision
Football Insider revealed last month that Frankfurt will accept any offer north of £80m for Ekitike should Liverpool advance their interest in the striker, but that would still represent a club record transfer fee.
Speaking on the latest Inside Track, Robinson argued that Ekitike’s record overall doesn’t justify such an outlay on a centre-forward with just 26 career goals, and told Slot to continue his search for a new nine.
“£84million is a huge risk… PSG let him go!”, Robinson told Football Insider.
“[Ekitike has] only had one good season – [with] Frankfurt inflating the price… Liverpool may need to look elsewhere.”
Liverpool to look for bargain in new striker search
Slot’s team selections towards the back end of the season made clear that he’s in desperate need of an out-and-out centre-forward next season, with Diogo Jota pushed towards the periphery in recent weeks.
However, with Jeremie Frimpong all-but through the doors at Anfield already and his Leverkusen team-mate Florian Wirtz likely to make the same move in the coming weeks, they’re already committed to a significant level of spending.
It’s unclear how much Slot will be given to buy a number nine and any move is likely dependent on sales, but with Wirtz set to smash Liverpool’s transfer record, they won’t want to do the same for the more unproven Ekitike.