Liverpool to bid for Hugo Ekitike after encouragement he prefers Anfield move

Liverpool are poised to make a bid for Hugo Ekitike, with the Eintracht Frankfurt striker understood to favour a move to the Premier League champions over Newcastle.

Newcastle and Liverpool have held talks with Frankfurt this week over the France Under-21s international, with the former having a £70m offer rejected and attempting to reach an agreement during further negotiations on Wednesday.

Liverpool’s discussions with the German club have also intensified over the past 48 hours and the Anfield club have informed Eintracht that they will bid for Ekitike. The 23-year-old has a €100m (£86.5m) release clause but whether Liverpool’s opening offer will go that high remains to be seen. Talks between the clubs will continue on Thursday and Liverpool have received encouragement that Ekitike wants to join them.

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Alexander Isak had topped Liverpool’s list of targets for a No 9 and the champions were willing to pay a British record transfer fee to secure the Newcastle forward, but their understanding is the Sweden international is not for sale.

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