Is Liverpool's Signing of Ekitike a Game Changer?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Hugo Ekitike signed for Liverpool for £79 million.
- Completed medical and agreed on personal terms.
- Fourth major signing of the summer for Liverpool.
- Scored 22 goals last season with Eintracht Frankfurt.
- Potential departures of other key players may offset transfer costs.
London, July 24 (NationPress) The Premier League champions, Liverpool, have made a significant addition to their squad by acquiring striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial fee of 79 million pounds (approximately 106 million US dollars). Liverpool announced on their social media platforms on Wednesday, "We have finalized an agreement for the transfer of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, pending international clearance."
The 23-year-old has completed a medical examination successfully and has agreed to personal terms with the Reds. He is set to join his new teammates in Hong Kong for their preseason tour of Asia later this week, as confirmed by the club.
With this signing, Ekitike becomes the fourth major acquisition for manager Arne Slot this summer, following the arrivals of Florian Wirtz for over 110 million pounds and defenders Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.
The talented Frenchman, who can operate in various attacking positions, had an impressive last season, netting 22 goals in 48 appearances and providing over a dozen assists, as reported by Xinhua.
Liverpool's summer spending has exceeded 250 million pounds, although they may recover some of that through potential sales, including Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich for over 60 million pounds. The future of Darwin Nunez is also uncertain, and Federico Chiesa has been left out of Liverpool's preseason squad for the Asia tour, indicating he might also depart.
Just days ago, Liverpool made it official that they had outmaneuvered strong competition to finalize the transfer of striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt.
In a statement issued on Monday, the club confirmed, "The Reds and the German club have agreed on a transfer deal reportedly worth 69 million pounds plus 10 million pounds in add-ons."
Ekitike traveled to Merseyside to undergo a medical and finalize a long-term contract with manager Arne Slot's squad.
The 23-year-old Frenchman was an unused substitute during Eintracht's recent preseason friendly as discussions regarding his future progressed. He played a crucial role last season, scoring 22 goals in 48 matches across all competitions, which helped Eintracht secure a spot in the Champions League.