Arne Slot cannot ignore £66m striker anymore after what Liverpool target just did against England U21s - opinion
03/22/2025 10:00 AM
Changes are coming to Liverpool’s forward line this summer.
Liverpool have been over-reliant on Mohamed Salah’s goals throughout the 2024/25 campaign and that was evident last week as the Reds struggled in front of goal against both Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle when the Egyptian superstar had two off days.
The Merseyside club will have money to spend on a big signing have recruited very little over the last three transfer windows and with Liverpool expected to sell Darwin Nunez this summer, that kitty will only increase.
Al-Nassr bid £62.5m for Nunez in January and if the Premier League leaders can bring that type of money in for the Uruguayan during the upcoming transfer window, they will be doing very well.
Alexander Isak is Liverpool’s main target ahead of the 2025/26 campaign but an alternative is showing he can’t be ignored.
Liverpool target Hugo Ekitike nets hat-trick against England U21
France U21 were in action against England U21 on Friday night as the two nations contested a friendly at Stade du Moustoir. The contest turned out to be an epic affair with the French emerging from the match as 5-3 winners.
There was Liverpool interest involved as Harvey Elliott lined up for England and got on the scoresheet as he netted his team’s second on the night.
In addition to this, Liverpool have been linked with Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap this week and the striker also bagged himself a goal in France.
However, it was another Isak alternative that stole the show as Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike scored a hat-trick for France, which would have impressed the board at Anfield as the striker took his tally for the season to 32 goals and assists across 42 games.
Liverpool have watched Ekitike since 2022 and have been linked with a move for the striker heading into the summer transfer window.
According to German outlet BILD, Frankfurt are looking to make the Frenchman their next big sale, with the Bundesliga side looking for a fee in the region of £66.2m (€80m).
With the 22-year-old being younger, cheaper and maybe just as good, Liverpool could prefer a move for Ekitike over Isak this summer.
Liverpool need to bring Hugo Ekitike to Anfield
A striker is not the only thing Arne Slot needs at Liverpool this summer as the Reds will also be on the lookout for a centre-back, a left-back and a midfielder.
Therefore, the difference in the transfer fees between Isak and Ekitike becomes a huge talking point at the Merseyside club as that potential £84m difference would go a long way in ensuring Liverpool remain at the top of the Premier League next season.
There is also not a huge difference in numbers between the pair and with the French star being three years younger, there is also more development room.
| Player | Games | Goal | Assists | Minutes |
| Hugo Ekitike | 38 | 19 | 8 | 2767 |
| Alexander Isak | 33 | 23 | 5 | 2613 |
There is also the possibility that Slot goes for a different type of forward as the Dutch coach has shown that he likes his number nine to drop deeper to create for the wingers in his team.
Joao Pedro has been linked to Liverpool in recent weeks and would give Slot that option, while Matheus Cunha is another Reds target with a similar style of play.
At the very least Liverpool have options heading into the summer, however, Ekitike is making himself hard to ignore.
