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Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt celebrate victory after the Bundesliga match between VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt at MHPArena(Image: 2024 Getty Images)

Liverpool's search for a centre-forward has led to them closing in on the signing of Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Reds have agreed personal terms with the Frenchman over a long-term deal, and remain in talks with the Bundesliga outfit as they look to agree a deal.

Newcastle United had been hopeful of signing the Frenchman and had already seen a £70m bid rejected by Frankfurt.

But they ended their own interest after Liverpool made their move, with the Reds switching attention to the 23-year-old after the Magpies insisted their centre-forward, Alexander Isak, was not for sale.

READ MORE:Liverpool agree personal terms with Hugo Ekitike as Eintracht Frankfurt transfer nearsREAD MORE:Liverpool get clear run at Hugo Ekitike transfer as Newcastle end interest and target new striker

Liverpool’s desire for a new striker is nothing new.

Meanwhile, he scored only seven goals as Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz were both preferred at centre-forward ahead of him.

Nunez is now expected to move on this summer, with Liverpool seemingly opting for Ekitike to replace him.

But their need for a striker goes beyond replacing the misfiring Uruguayan.

Luis Diaz also continues to be linked with a move away while Federico Chiesa’s own Reds future remains uncertain.

On top of that, Liverpool are also having to cope with the death of Diogo Jota, who was killed along with his brother Andre Silva in a car crash earlier this month.

The Reds have repeatedly found themselves linked with new strikers in recent months, with Isak and Ekitike often the leading names.

Yet beyond the pair, Liverpool have also been credited with an interest in Julian Alvarez, Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen, Joao Pedro, Matheus Cunha and Christopher Nkunku.

Meanwhile, this week alone, Ollie Watkins, Yoane Wissa, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Nicolas Jackson and even Marcus Rashford have also come under discussion.

But maybe in Ekitike, the answer was under everyone’s nose the entire time.

Prior to the January transfer window, Omar Marmoush was perhaps the forward linked most following a prolific first half of the season with Eintracht Frankfurt as reports suggested Liverpool were scouting the Egyptian.

Having returned 17 goals and six assists for Frankfurt from 41 appearances last year, he was in even better form this season with the forward notching 20 goals and 14 assists from just 26 appearances for the club.

With Liverpool previously moving for Diaz and Cody Gakpo in the winters of 2022 and 2023, having feared on missing out on the pair if they had they not, transfer-hungry supporters perhaps hoped for a repeat in January.

Yet considering the Reds already possessed six forwards - though both Nunez and Chiesa had been linked with exits - a mid-season swoop was not anticipated.

Sure enough, when Man City instead made their move for Marmoush, there was never any suggestion of Liverpool rivalling the reigning Premier League champions.

Completing a £59m switch to the Etihad towards the end of January, the 26-year-old enjoyed a lively start to his City career with eight goals and three assists from 22 appearances prior to the FIFA Club World Cup.

By moving mid-season, City have ensured they did not need to enter the market for a new striker in the summer at a time when Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Manchester United have all pursued new number nines.

But while reports might have suggested Liverpool had been scouting Marmoush, perhaps Ekitike was always the subject of their desires, hidden in plain sight next to the Egyptian.

Frankfurt often played Ekitike alongside Marmoush during the first half of the season, as both flourished in front of goal even if it was the Egyptian who grabbed more headlines across the continent.

But following Marmoush’s departure, Ekitike still flourished as a lone striker.

He finished the campaign with 22 goals and 12 assists from 48 appearances as he helped Frankfurt qualify for the Champions League.

And now he is set to become the latest star forward to leave the German outfit in a big-money move, after the likes of Marmoush, Randal Kolo Muani, Andre Silva, Luka Jovic and Sebastien Haller in recent years.

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Time will tell if Ekitike is a success at Anfield.
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