Arsenal are keeping close tabs on Hugo Ekitike and will test Eintracht Frankfurt’s resolve with a bid to sign the striker in the summertime transfer window.
Ekitike’s goalscoring exploits as a teenager with Reims convinced Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain to part with €35million (£29m) for the forward’s services in 2023.
But Ekitike struggled to make a big impact in the primary half of last season under Luis Enrique and the attacker joined Eintracht Frankfurt – initially on loan – with a view to boosting his first-team minutes.
A return of 4 goals in 14 league appearances earned Ekitike a everlasting move to Eintracht Frankfurt last summer and the 22-year-old has been nothing in need of a revelation within the Bundesliga this term.
Ekitike has racked up 12 goals and three assists in his opening 20 games within the German top flight and his performances haven’t gone unnoticed within the Premier League.
In response to Foot Mercato, Arsenal are among the many teams monitoring Ekitike’s progress and ‘appreciate his profile’, with the Gunners on the hunt for a centre-forward after missing out in January.
Liverpool and West Ham are also said to be within the running. The Hammers have been involved in Ekitike for a while and first checked out capturing the Frenchman in 2023 before PSG beat them to the signing.
While Ekitike and his family are settled in Frankfurt, it’s claimed the Bundesliga outfit are already trying to the longer term and the funds they may generate by offloading their star striker.
The report adds Eintracht Frankfurt are prone to demand a fee within the region of €80m (£66m) for the France Under-21 international and the concept is to sell him in 18 months’ time.
Ekitike current contract at Deutsche Bank Park runs through to the summer of 2029.
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Arsenal were expected to usher in reinforcements up front last month after a season-ending injury to Gabriel Jesus left Arteta desperately in need of options for a possible title charge.
And while Arteta confirmed that the Gunners were activiely working to strengthen, the club didn’t make any additions before the January transfer window business closed for business.
Ollie Watkins emerged as Arsenal’s top goal because the deadline approached but Aston Villa wasted little time in rejecting their rivals’ offer for the England international.
It stays to be seen if the north Londoners will return with a follow-up bid for Watkins in the summertime, with the 29-year-old known to be a lifelong Arsenal fan and ‘open’ to a move.
‘We had a transparent intention which is all the time when a window opens to explore the opportunities to enhance our squad,’ Arteta said of Arsenal’s failure to strengthen in attack.
‘With players with injuries, we’ve been impacted and we haven’t achieved it.
‘We’re disillusioned in that sense but as well we’re very aware that we only need to bring certain sorts of players and we’ve to be very disciplined with that as well.
‘While you try your best and do things, you see the people and we share the identical intentions, once you don’t achieve it okay, of course there are things to learn from it.
‘But you’ve to maneuver on and that could be a piece that was necessary within the moment, but now we’ve moved on.’
‘It’s within the profile, a player that could make us higher. Financially there’s numerous ways, numerous things that we must stay within the lane that has taken us this far and from there try to enhance.’
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