Hugo Ekitike's career and life officially changed on Wednesday. Recruited by Liverpool, the French striker (23) immediately flew to Asia, where he found the Arne Slot team, currently in pre-season internship on the side of Hong Kong. And it was all smile that he discovered his new partners, including his compatriot Ibrahima Konaté.
If the potential of the former Parisian, author of 22 goals and 12 assists last season with Eintracht Frankfurt, is not really discussed, the price of his transfer, on the other hand, shocked a good number of observers. The Reds actually spent some 95 million euros, including bonuses, to offer the native of Reims. An amount deemed exorbitant.
It is all the more so since it brings it into a separate category. Nineteenth most expensive player in history, and fifth French behind Kylian Mbappé (€ 180 million), Ousmane Dembélé (€ 135 million), Antoine Griezmann (€ 120 million) and Paul Pogba (€ 105 million), Hugo Ekitike has broken a strange record: as the note
The teamnever a player without selection at the A has cost so much.
Hugo Ekitike broke a strange record
Until then, the neo-liverpuldien has only six appearances in the tricolor U20s and five capes in the hopes, for 5 goals scored. Will Didier Deschamps repair this anomaly at the next rally? The Blues will face Ukraine and Iceland, on September 5 and 9, to launch their qualification campaign at the 2026 World Cup. With him?
This is not certain because the coach of the French team already has a lot of offensive weapons with Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise, Randal Kolo Muani, Marcus Thuram and Rayan Cherki. For Hugo Ekitike to take place in this group, it will first have to justify the amount of his transfer on the ground.
