Liverpool Secures Hugo Ekitike Signing After Blocking Newcastle Deal

Hugo Ekitike was very close to joining Newcastle United in a deal that had been agreed upon with Eintracht Frankfurt and the player, but Liverpool made a late move and convinced him to sign for Anfield instead. Agent Ali Barat, who worked on behalf of Eintracht Frankfurt, revealed that after spending ten days in Germany finalizing terms, Liverpool's late intervention led Ekitike to choose them over Newcastle. The French striker has had a strong start in the Premier League with Liverpool, scoring multiple goals, and his performances have left Newcastle fans wondering what might have been. Liverpool also secured Alexander Isak from Newcastle in a record transfer, further compounding Newcastle's summer transfer woes. Newcastle had been tracking Ekitike since 2022 and were prepared to make a club record bid, but Liverpool ultimately outspent and outmaneuvered them in the race for the forward. The saga highlights Liverpool's aggressive transfer strategy and Newcastle's frustration at narrowly missing out on key targets.