Football
Exclusive: Man City, Spurs and Newcastle Join Chelsea in Race for £75m Frankfurt Star Hugo Ekitike
Premier League giants Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United are all in the race to sign Eintract Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike. The 22-year-old Frenchman scored 22 goals in 33 games last season and is now ready for a Premier League challenge. Chelsea and Newcastle are also interested, with a reported transfer fee of £75 million. Ekitike's contract runs until June 2029, but Frankfurt are open to discussions.
Sport-Club Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt - Bundesliga by Sebastian El-Saqqa - firo sportphoto | Getty Images
Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have joined the race to sign Eintract Frankfurt hitman Hugo Ekitike is wanted by, SportsBoom can reveal.
Sought-after striker Ekitike is understood to be wanted by Chelsea as they look to add a second striker to their summer transfer business following the arrival of £30million Liam Delap from relegated Ipswich Town.
But now City, Spurs and the Magpies have all been linked with the 22-year-old Frenchman who bagged an impressive 22 goals in 33 games for the German Bundesliga side last season.
Ekitike has grown from strength-to-strength this season and is now ready for a Premier League challenge.
He finished sixth in the Bundesliga goal charts this season with 15 league goals and eight assists.
England striker Harry Kane topped the pile with 26 goals and eight assists, but Ekitike’s goalscoring exploits and assist tally have earn him many plaudits this season.
And SportsBoom understands the player is now ready to make the step up and text himself in England’s top-flight.
Ekitike’s contract doesn’t expire until June 2029 but Frankfurt are believed to be happy to discuss terms with a £75million transfer fee having been rumoured.
SIGNIFICANT WINDFALL
That would be a significant windfall for the German club given they only paid £14million for the striker after a successful loan spell.
Earlier this season Ekitike scored against Spurs in the Europa League quarter-finals, but saw his side defeated over two legs.
He has represented France at both Under-20 and U21 level and is keen to one day break into the international senior squad.
Chelsea have been long-time admirers of the player, with Arsenal having previously expressed an interest in signing the player.
Sources close to Ekitike say the striker flattered by the interest is open to discussions about earning his Premier League chance next season.
But Frankfurt believe they are in a strong position to command a big fee having banked £59million for attacker Omar Marmoush in January.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.