Chelsea are leading the battle with Premier League rivals Liverpool to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, according to reports.
Both the Blues and the Reds are looking to improve their forward line this summer with both sides missing a prolific striker in their sides.
Nicolas Jackson scored ten goals in 30 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, while Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez scored 11 goals between them for Liverpool in the season just gone.
That has led both sides to be linked with numerous top centre-forwards but it now appears that they have both settled on Eintracht Frankfurt’s Ekitike as their top target.
Earlier this month, Eintracht Frankfurt chief executive Markus Krosche admitted he is ready to allow Ekitike to leave if he requests to leave Germany in the summer.
Krosche told Sport1: “He’s one of the most interesting strikers on the European market. Hugo has to decide that, I’m glad we have him. If he decides otherwise, it’s our belief that if a player develops faster than us, we let him go.
“Hugo is an exceptional player who played a major role in our qualification for the Champions League. He certainly still has a lot of potential for development as he’s only 22 years old.”
Liverpool have signed Jeremie Frimpong already this summer, while further deals for Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez look likely.
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg recently revealed that Ekitike was Arne Slot’s ‘next big target’ at Liverpool as they attempt to land a prolific striker.
But Bild reporter Christian Falk insists that Chelsea are currently ahead of Liverpool in the race as they ‘hold the best cards in the Ekitike poker’.
Falk told Caught Offside: ‘Chelsea hold the advantage over Liverpool for Hugo Ekitiké. Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal were previously considered the top favourites for Hugo Ekitiké. But the three-man competition has now turned into a two-club battle.
‘At the moment, Chelsea, who qualified for the Champions League in fourth place, hold the best cards in the Ekitiké poker. Chelsea are already in dialogue with the player’s side and could soon get serious. But Liverpool are also still in the race, despite the upcoming record transfer of Florian Wirtz.
‘Eintracht is already working on replacing Ekitiké. It has been clear for months that Eintracht Frankfurt are desperate to sign Mainz goalscorer Jonathan Burkardt as a successor to Hugo Ekitiké, who is keen to move.
‘The Mainz striker is now clearly leaning towards a move to Frankfurt and wants to play for the Hessians after the summer. A financial agreement has not yet been reached. However, the basic decision in favour of Eintracht seems to have been made.
‘Burkardt’s imminent departure is already known in the Mainz dressing room. Leverkusen are also interested in the international striker, who scored 18 league goals last season. But Eintracht led the Burkardt race from the start.’