Liverpool are confident of pipping Chelsea to the services of Hugo Ekitike, according to journalist Florian Plettenberg. Manchester United are apparently in the race for the French striker as well.
Ekitike is among the brightest young talents in European football at the moment. The 22-year-old is coming off a fantastic campaign with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he managed 22 goals and 12 assists from 48 games.
Ekitike’s future remains up in the air this summer, although he is under contract at the Deutsche Bank Park until 2029. Liverpool are in the market for a new No. 9 amid concerns about Darwin Nunez’s form.
The Uruguayan has been an enigma since joining the Reds from Benfica in 2022 and has divided opinion among fans. The Merseyside club are looking for an upgrade on the 25-year-old and have apparently identified Ekitike as an option.
However, Liverpool have to offload Nunez before they can initiate a move, something that the Frenchman is aware of. Chelsea, meanwhile, are also eyeing Ekitike as they aim to shore up their strikers’ department.
The Blues are looking to add more competition for Nicolas Jackson, with Christopher Nkunku expected to be on his way. The London giants, interestingly, have already roped in Liam Delap from Ipswich Town earlier this month.
However, Chelsea remain in the market for more firepower and have set their eyes on Ekitike. Manchester United, meanwhile, have also reached out to Eintracht Frankfurt to discuss a move for the Frenchman. However, all of Ekitike’s suitors have been informed that he will cost €100m this summer.
Chelsea and Liverpool could also lock horns for the services of Benfica defender Tomas Araujo this summer, according to A Bola. The Portuguese defender apparently has admirers at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as well.
Araujo has been a rock at the back for the Portuguese club this season, registering 44 appearances across competitions. The 23-year-old is under contract with Benfica until 2029, and reportedly has an €80m release clause in his deal.
However, that hasn’t deterred Chelsea, who are looking to add more steel to their backline. With the futures of Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah uncertain, the Blues have turned to Araujo.
However, Liverpool are also eyeing the Portuguese, after missing out on Dean Huijsen this summer. The Spanish defender opted to move to Real Madrid, and the Reds have identified Araujo as an able alternative.
Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer’s Wikipedia page.
Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina’s glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.
Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.
Despite believing in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to create an iconic rivalry, Deepungsu reckons no one can match the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo. He spends his leisure time writing about life on his blog, reading books, and playing the guitar.
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