Liverpool-bound Hugo Ekitike knows how star loved by Jurgen Klopp feels about him

Hugo Ekitike has already shared the pitch with some legendary figures, and the striker is now poised to add another chapter to his journey with a move to Liverpool. The 23-year-old is set to become the Reds' newest blockbuster arrival, with a £79million transfer agreed with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Ekitike, who underwent a medical on Tuesday, will be the club's third major signing from the Bundesliga this summer, following in the footsteps of Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, both of whom arrived from Bayer Leverkusen.

The deal for Ekitike comes after a frantic few days at Anfield, which began with the club going after Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. But when the Magpies insisted the striker wasn't for sale at any price, Liverpool pivoted to Ekitike and moved swiftly to agree a deal.

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Now, the French forward is set to form a central part of Arne Slot's new-look attack, alongside Mo Salah, Wirtz and flying full-backs Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, with Liverpool going all out in the transfer market in a bid to successfully defend their Premier League title.

Once the move is finalised, the Reds will have secured one of the most highly-rated young forwards in the game. Ekitike netted 22 times and provided 12 assists - stats that have made him a target for several elite sides.

He has already brushed shoulders with icons such as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe at PSG, and also shared a dressing room with World Cup final goalscorer Mario Gotze during his stint at Frankfurt. Gotze had glowing things to say about the striker - words that will be music to the ears of Liverpool fans.

"I think Hugo Ekitike has an ability that few players have with his dribbling, his finishing, and his speed," Gotze told beIN Sports last year. "Of course, he can help us [Frankfurt] a lot.

"We saw it last year: we simply need everyone to be at 100 per cent. This applies to everyone who has played, to the new ones, to those who have been here a little longer. And he is undoubtedly an added value for the team.”

Gotze's praise carries even more weight at Anfield because of his history with Jurgen Klopp. The midfielder was a central figure in Dortmund's success under Klopp and even came close to joining him at Liverpool in 2016 - a move he later admitted he should have made.

"I went to his house in Liverpool, where we sat down together in the living room with our wives," Gotze told The Player's Tribune. "What makes Jurgen special is that he sees Mario the person. We did not talk much about football. He wasn’t saying, 'How can I convince you? What do you want?'

"He asked me about life in general, and I think he said something like, 'Look, Mario, you’ll play a lot, and you’ll have fun here. I know that's the most important thing for you. The club is amazing. Have a think about it.' I really wanted to play for him again."

While Ekitike won't experience playing under Klopp, his arrival could be a key part of Slot's evolving team as Liverpool prepare to defend their Premier League crown and push for more glory next season.

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