Kylian Mbappe could prove to have a key role in the future of his compatriot Hugo Ekitike who is reportedly on the transfer wishlist of Liverpool and Arsenal
Hugo Ekitike could turn to Kylian Mbappe for advice amid reports the striker is subject to interest from Liverpool and Arsenal – having previously sought the Real Madrid star’s wisdom when signing for Eintracht Frankfurt. Both Premier League clubs are likely to be in the market for a new striker this summer and the 22-year-old has certainly impressed this season with the Bundesliga club.
Having scored 19 goals and contributed eight assists across all competitions with Frankfurt sitting fourth in the German top-flight, the youngster’s impressive performances haven’t gone unnoticed. Arne Slot’s side are said to hold a keen interest in the striker, according to Mail Sport, while the Gunners are also thought to like the striker.
However, any deal would reportedly require a flat fee of £60million in an attempt to prize Ekitike away from Frankfurt, who’ve already lost star forward Omar Marmoush to Manchester City in the January transfer window.
Prior to his move to Germany, the Frenchman, 22, spent a season as Mbappe’s team-mate at Paris Saint-Germain during the 2022/23 campaign but scored just four goals in 32 games across all competitions. He opted to leave the French capital on loan in 2024 to join Frankfurt on deadline day after confiding in the Madrid striker.
“I have become a better footballer and a better person because of him,” Ekitike said of Mbappe. “I watched him a lot and he gave me a lot of tips on where I could improve. He recommended that I take the next step and advised me to come here to progress and develop.”
Given the high regard Ekitike holds Mbappe in, it could prove to be good news for Liverpool considering how the France captain has previously spoken about the Premier League giants. Prior to his move to Spain, the 26-year-old admitted that he was engaged in talks with the club due to his mother being a massive fan of the Reds.
“I talked to Liverpool because it’s the favourite club of my mum, my mum loves Liverpool…” Mbappe told The Telegraph in 2022. “I don’t know why, you will have to ask her! It’s a good club and we met them five years ago. When I was in Monaco I met them. It’s a big club.”
Mbappe hasn’t hid his admiration of Liverpool throughout his career, as he called the team a “machine” in the midst of their title-winning season in the 2019/20 campaign. He told BBC Sport: “What Liverpool do in this moment is amazing,” Mbappe said. “They’re like a machine, they’ve found a rhythm and are like ‘we play again, we play again’.
“They’ve lost zero games. When you watch you think everything’s easy but that’s not easy. The guys are focused, they play games every three days and they win, they win, they win.
“Now the problem is that everybody watches Liverpool, and everybody watches what we can do against them, so now they have to show they are strong again but it’s a very good team with a very good manager.”
While Arsenal have endured long-term injuries to Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Bukayo Saka, Liverpool have had the majority of their forward players fit for much of the season but have contributed sparingly. Mohamed Salah is far and away the club’s league top scorer with 27 goals and is the only Reds player in double digits.
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