Davis: Hugo Ekitike Eyes Anfield Move as £70m+ Transfer Talks Accelerate | OneFootball

Liverpool Beat Newcastle to Hugo Ekitike as Transfer Saga Accelerates

As the summer window intensifies, Liverpool have made a decisive move in the race for Hugo Ekitike, beating Newcastle United to the 23-year-old French striker in what many are now calling a “power play”. Speaking on Anfield Index’s Newsround, contributor Dave Davis unpacked the full story from his sunbed abroad, where even “the woman on the sunbed next door was giving me a lot of puzzled looks” as news broke.

Ekitike Only Wanted Liverpool

Ekitike’s long-standing desire to join the Reds has finally taken centre stage. Davis was clear throughout the episode that “Hugo Ekitike has made it clear to all — Newcastle, Liverpool etc — as we’ve said on the Transfer Show many a time, he’s always wanted to come to Liverpool”. Despite interest from Chelsea and Newcastle, it’s Anfield he has always been waiting for.

David Lynch, Davis noted, was first to tweet about the growing interest and acceleration of Liverpool’s talks, even ahead of David Ornstein. By the time Ornstein broke the story, it was clear the club were “advancing in talks with Hugo Ekitike” and the deal was “in excess of 80 million euros”, which Davis rightly converted as “about 69.2 million quid”.

From Isak Hope to Ekitike Reality

While Liverpool initially approached Newcastle over Alexander Isak, that trail quickly went cold. Davis acknowledged that “the Alexander Isak move… feels like now… dying embers”. He added that “if there’s any real expectation”, it would take a transfer request from Isak to revive any chance — something Davis doesn’t see happening.

Instead, all focus has turned to Ekitike. “Liverpool are closing in on a deal”, Davis quoted from Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph. He also credited Sami Mokbel of the BBC, who stated that “they’re advancing the interest and the deal will surpass 70 million pounds”.

A ‘Project Player’ but Worth the Excitement

Not shying away from addressing fan concerns, Davis directly tackled the label. “I’m going to use a phrase which people won’t like… Hugo Ekitike is a project player. It’s okay to say that.” He urged listeners to pack away their “Darwin Nunez PTSD”, stressing that Ekitike’s profile is exciting in its own right.

Ekitike is statistically impressive. “In the Bundesliga alone he had 33 appearances, 15 goals, 8 assists. In the Europa [League], four goals and three assists”, said Davis. Across all competitions, that’s 30 goal contributions — a solid return.

He also cited key analytics: “35.53 kmh” top speed, “over three progressive carries per 90 minutes”, and “96 percentile successful take-ons, nearly two a game”. Davis called Ekitike “a chance magnet”, but cautiously added that “some will say, ‘Well that’s the same with Darwin Nunez’… but there is a lot to like”.

Deal Imminent Before Pre-Season Tour

Liverpool are pushing to finalise the transfer before jetting off for their pre-season tour on 23 July. Davis emphasised that this is the timeline the club are working to, as he reported that “a bid is in the process of being formalised with talks advanced for the 23-year-old”.

He even referenced Fabrizio Romano’s post stating that the deal is “advancing very quickly”. With Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards at the helm, Davis reminded fans that “they love a Friday”, hinting that official confirmation may be just around the corner.

If Ekitike does land at Anfield, Liverpool’s forward line would look stacked: “Salah, Gakpo, Diaz, Wirts, Ekitike… crazy”, Davis mused, signalling a thrilling attack for the upcoming campaign under Arne Slot.

While the dessert buffet and strawberry daiquiris may have been calling, Davis’s message was crystal clear: “Let’s be excited by this if — and likely when — it happens”.