Hugo Ekitike: Arsenal & Liverpool dealt blow after club chief's transfer tease | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt board spokesman Axel Hellmann has hinted that the club's in-demand striker Hugo Ekitike could be on his way to Real Madrid this summer, potentially dealing Arsenal and Liverpool a transfer blow.

Ekitike has thrived in the Bundesliga this season after failing to make the grade at Paris Saint-Germain. After working superbly in tandem with Omar Marmoush during the first half of the season, the French forward has relished the increased responsibility since the Egyptian sharp-shooter joined Manchester City in January.

Ekitike has scored 22 times in all competitions this term, a haul which includes 15 in the Bundesliga. Tottenham Hotspur quickly got to learn all about the young striker's devastating talent as he scored just minutes into their Europa League quarter-final tie, and several other Premier League clubs would have been keeping a close eye on his performances against the Lilywhites.

Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Newcastle are all said to be in the race to sign Ekitike this summer, although Frankfurt are demanding as much as €100m (€86.5m) for his services.

Ekitike has been in dazzling form / Alex Grimm/GettyImages

Frankfurt chief Hellmann is seemingly resigned to losing another prolific goalscorer at the end of the season, recently telling Jan Age Fjortoft: "I would love for him to play for us for the next ten years. But we're all realistic. Hugo is one of the players with the highest potential in Europe. He's only 22 years old and has a great future ahead of him. The market is the market."

However, Hellman also noted that it's not inevitable that he would end up in the Premier League despite the strong interest from English shores.

"There may be other markets he's opened up with his performances... I'm sure he has what it takes to fit in with other clubs as well. Clubs a little further south in Europe," he added.

That, of course, takes you to the Mediterranean, with BILD suggesting that Hellman can only mean one thing: a move to Real Madrid. While Los Blancos are one of few clubs outside of the Premier League capable of financing a deal, the club's purchase of Kylian Mbappe last summer means they aren't desperate for a starting number nine.

The Spanish behemoths will surely look to commit their resources to other positions this summer.