Liverpool get Hugo Ekitike transfer boost after new twist as '€100m bid imminent' | OneFootball

Reds advancing quickly in move for new striker after Alexander Isak approach rebuffed

Hugo Ekitike is said to have handed in a transfer request as he looks to secure a high-profile move to Liverpool, according to reports in Germany.

Newcastle had also moved for Ekitike, seeing a club-record bid worth around £70m rejected by Frankfurt earlier this week.

Now he looks likely to be heading to Liverpool instead after the reigning Premier League champions were believed to have tabled their own offer on Thursday as part of a total package worth €80m (£69.2m).

The opening bid is said to have been rebuffed, with negotiations continuing between the two clubs and Liverpool rumoured to be keen to wrap up a deal before travelling to Asia next week for their pre-season tour.

For his part, Ekitike is said to want to join Liverpool and it was believed that agreeing personal terms was not expected to be an issue.

German publication Sport Bild have since reported that the Frenchman has submitted a transfer request to help complete a switch to Anfield, having apparently agreed terms on a six-year contract until 2031.

They add that Liverpool have even signalled to Frankfurt that they would be willing to pay their €100m (£86.6m) asking price, with an offer in that region now expected as the Bundesliga outfit target Franjo Ivanovic of Union Saint-Gilloise as his replacement and Ritsu Doan also arriving from Freiburg.

Ekitike has also been subject to interest from Saudi Arabia this summer, in addition to being linked with a host of other clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

He would be the second major addition from German football made by Liverpool, following a blockbuster move for Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen that will set a new British transfer record at £116m if all add-ons in the deal are met.

They have also signed Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen, as well as moving for Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman.

Liverpool are also being linked with rivalling Arsenal for Real Madrid winger Rodrygo and Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, with Luis Diaz looking to leave the club after an opening bid of £58.5m for his services from Bayern Munich was snubbed.

Darwin Nunez is also expected to leave Liverpool this summer, though a proposed move to Napoli looks to be off after the Serie A champions swooped to land Italy international Lorenzo Lucca from Udinese instead.