Hugo Ekitike makes blunt admission over £79m Liverpool transfer fee after rejecting Newcastle

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Hugo Ekitike has made a blunt admission regarding his £79 million transfer fee after rejecting a move to Newcastle United, ultimately joining Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt. Liverpool agreed to an initial fee of £69 million plus £10 million in add-ons for the 23-year-old striker. The add-ons are largely tied to Liverpool’s success in winning trophies and Ekitike’s significant contribution to the team.

Before Liverpool's move, Newcastle had made a club-record offer of £70 million for Ekitike, which was rejected. Liverpool had reportedly been in talks with the player since January, with manager Arne Slot showing strong interest. Ekitike's transfer to Liverpool was completed after the club was told that Newcastle forward Alexander Isak was not available for sale, prompting Liverpool to focus on Ekitike.

Ekitike has a promising record, having scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 33 Bundesliga matches last season, helping Eintracht Frankfurt reach the Europa League quarterfinals. The transfer sets a high spending mark, pushing Liverpool's total summer expenditure to around £295.5 million, which is significantly more than their closest Premier League rivals.

As part of the transfer deal, Eintracht Frankfurt must pay 20% of the total transfer value to Paris Saint-Germain due to a clause in Ekitike's contract when he moved to Frankfurt in February 2024. Ekitike will now join Liverpool’s preseason tour in Asia, signaling his immediate integration into the squad.

PP