Arsenal ‘Rival’ Liverpool for €100 Million Striker After Gyokeres, Sesko Talks ‘Stall’ | OneFootball

Arsenal’s winding pursuit of new centre-forward has seen them consider Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké, a report in Germany has claimed.

The Gunners have been most heavily linked with Sporting CP superstar Viktor Gyökeres and RB Leipzig’s young talent Benjamin Šeško thus far this summer. Arsenal’s incoming sporting director Andrea Berta is thought to favour the tactic of negotiating multiple deals for players in the same position simultaneously, which theoretically allows him to compare the packages on the table for each target before sealing the best option.

However, the trails for Gyökeres and Šeško have reportedly run cold at the same time. The relentlessly prolific Swede is currently locked in a very public dispute with Sporting president Frederico Varandas, who is willing to hang on to his club’s talisman if his terms are not met.

RB Leipzig appear to be in a similar position of strength. At 22 with a contract which runs until 2029, there is every chance that Šeško will only increase in value if he remains in Saxony for another season.

These stalemates have prompted Arsenal to reconsider an approach for Ekitiké, BILD claim. The long-limbed Frenchman is only one year older than Šeško and managed to comfortable outscore and assist his Leipzig counterpart in last season’s Bundesliga campaign.

Ekitiké’s blossoming form over the 2024–25 campaign, which helped Frankfurt climb to the heady heights of third place and the Europa League quarterfinals, has alerted suitors beyond Arsenal. Manchester United and Chelsea have also been credited with interest in the 23-year-old, yet it is Liverpool who are billed as Arsenal’s closest challengers by BILD.

The Reds have already embarked upon a record-breaking spending spree, yet there is no suggestion that the pursestrings have been drawn tight just yet. While a new centre-back is considered to be a more pressing issue, the entirely possible departure of Darwin Núñez would open up an inviting slot in the forward line.

If Liverpool, Arsenal or any other interested club want to extract Ekitiké from Frankfurt, it will not be cheap. The club’s CEO Markus Krösche has set a very clear €100 million (£85.3 million, $115.9 million) valuation. “If the price isn’t right, then he will stay with us,” the executive shrugged in the middle of June. “We don’t have to sell Hugo.”

Chelsea are unwilling to go above €80 million (£68.4 million, $93.8 million), BILD claim. Although whether their interest remains following deals for Jamie Gittens and João Pedro remains to be seen.

Arsenal, in stark contrast to Chelsea, Liverpool or United, are yet to recruit a single forward-thinking player this summer. Unless progress can be made in reduced fees for Gyökeres or Šeško, they may have to plough forward with this costly Ekitiké proposal.