Hugo Ekitike: Arsenal, Liverpool & Man Utd learn new record-breaking price tag | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt want their sought-after striker Hugo Ekitike to be the most expensive departure in the club's lucrative history of transfers.

Ekitike has caught the eye of Europe's elite in the build-up to a summer window expected to be dominated by the comings and goings of centre-forwards. There is scarcely a club in the upper echelons of the continental game not in search of a reliable, central goalscorer.

Arsenal are in desperate need of a warm body through the middle and have been credited with serious interest in Ekitike. Liverpool are very much part of the jostling pack which also includes Manchester United and Newcastle United.

Part of Ekitike's charm was the presumption that the 22-year-old would be more affordable than some of Europe's other in-demand forwards. Yet, if Frankfurt are even willing to lose their talisman this summer, they are hoping to extract €100m (£86.5m) according to SPORT BILD.

Hugo Ekitike is averaging a goal or assist every 103 minutes this season / Shaun Botterill/GettyImages

Four Premier League sides - the aforementioned Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Newcastle - reportedly sent scouts to watch Ekitike in action on English soil last week. The talent spotters would have seen the French forward battle valiantly with Tottenham Hotspur's duo of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven. Ekitike broke the deadlock with a crisp finish into the bottom corner as Frankfurt emerged with a 1-1 draw from their Europa League quarter-final first leg.

Frankfurt are enjoying a brilliant campaign. After establishing a reputation as fearsome cup side, the 2022 Europa League winners are on course to record their best Bundesliga finish in more than 30 years.

Ekitike's burst of goals - he scored his 21st of the season against Heidenheim on Sunday - has underpinned this surge, but the Frenchman is surrounded by plenty of talented teammates who have been bought with funds raised from a lucrative recruitment strategy.

The upwardly mobile Bundesliga outfit are prepared to part ways with their best players - but for the right price. Only three top-flight clubs on the planet have made a larger profit on player sales than Frankfurt over the past two years. Omar Marmoush moved to Manchester City earlier this year, but only after Pep Guardiola's side coughed up €75m (£64.8m).

It was originally thought that Frankfurt would demand a similar fee for Ekitike, but given the financial security brought by qualifying for the Champions League, the German outfit have raised the stakes. Now they are hopeful of surpassing the club-record Randal Kolo Muani set in 2023 by moving to Paris Saint-Germain for €95m (£82.1m).