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Hugo Ekitike
French footballer (born 2002) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Hugo Ekitike (or Ekitiké; born 20 June 2002) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Liverpool.
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Ekitike began his professional career at 18 with Stade de Reims, playing for their reserves team before being called up to the senior squad in 2020. Between 2021 and 2022, Ekitike had loan spells at Vejle Boldklub and Paris Saint-Germain, winning the Ligue 1 title and appearing in the UEFA Champions League. His loan became a full transfer in 2023, however he only made one league appearance as a permanent player.
Ekitike was sent on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt in April 2024, joining the club on a permanent basis later that year. During his first full season at Eintracht, Ekitike scored 15 goals in 33 league games, finished 7th-place in the Bundesliga, and appeared in the 2024–25 Bundesliga Team of the Season. In July 2025, Liverpool signed Ekitike for a reported fee of €80 million (£69 million).
Ekitike has represented France as a youth international player, appearing for the under-20 and under-21 sides.
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Early life
Hugo Ekitike was born to a Cameroonian father and a French mother on 20 June 2002 in Reims, Marne, France.[2][3][4] He began his youth career at Cormontreuil FC, a small local football club in Cormontreuil, before joining the academy at Stade de Reims in 2013.[5]
Club career
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Reims
On 12 July 2020, Ekitike signed his first professional contract with Reims.[6] He debuted with the senior team in a 3–1 Ligue 1 loss to Lorient on 17 October 2020.[7] On 29 January 2021, Ekitike joined Danish Superliga club Vejle Boldklub on loan for the rest of the season.[8]
On 26 September 2021, Ekitike scored Reims' second and third goals in a 3–1 win against Nantes, having come on as a substitute.[9] In the January 2022 transfer window, Ekitike rejected a potential transfer to Newcastle United. Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot admitted that the club had received "very good offers" for Ekitike, but reiterated that "there is still a piece of history to write together".[10]
Paris Saint-Germain
On 16 July 2022, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) announced the signing of Ekitike on a season-long loan with an option-to-buy for a reported fee of €35 million, bonuses included.[11] According to several sources, the purchase option in the deal was made mandatory.[12]
Ekitike made his PSG debut as a substitute in a 5–0 league win away to Clermont on 6 August 2022.[13] On 1 October, he made his first start for the club in a 2–1 league victory over Nice at the Parc des Princes.[14] Ten days later, Ekitike made his UEFA Champions League debut, coming on as a late-match substitute in a 1–1 home draw against Benfica.[15] On 13 November, he scored his first goal for Paris Saint-Germain in a 5–0 home win over Auxerre.[16] He finished the season with four goals and four assists in thirty-two matches, winning his first Ligue 1 title.[17] In June 2023, his transfer to PSG became a permanent deal worth €28.5 million plus €6.5 million in bonuses.[18][19] In September 2023, it was reported that he was excluded from the Champions League squad for the 2023–24 season.[20]
Eintracht Frankfurt
On 1 February 2024, Ekitike signed for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt on loan until the end of the season with a buy option.[21] He made his debut as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat away to FC Köln two days later.[22] On 19 April, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 home victory over FC Augsburg.[23] On 26 April, the buy option in Ekitike's loan deal at Eintracht Frankfurt was activated, and he was transferred for a fee of €16.5 million.[24] He signed a deal until the end of the 2028–29 season.[25] The following day, Ekitike scored a goal in 2–1 defeat away to Bayern Munich, a right-footed strike from outside the box into the bottom-right corner of the net.[26] On 10 April 2025, Ekitike scored a long range strike in the Europa League quarter-finals first leg against Tottenham Hotspur.[27]
By the end of the 2024–25 season, Ekitike scored 15 goals in 33 league games. The club finished in 3rd place in the Bundesliga, securing a spot in the 2025–26 Champions League. At the end of the campaign, Ekitike appeared in the 2024–25 Bundesliga Team of the Season.[28]
Liverpool
On 23 July 2025, Ekitike signed for Premier League club Liverpool in a transfer worth up to €95 million (£82.4 million).[29] The transfer includes an €80 million (£69 million) initial payment, and €15 million (£13 million) of performance-related add-ons that, if reached, would present a club-record fee for Eintracht Frankfurt, surpassing the €95 million (£82.3 million) paid for Randal Kolo Muani by Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.[30] According to The Athletic and The Independent, Newcastle United had also offered €75 million (£70 million) for Ekitike, echoing their approach for the player in 2022, but Ekitike made clear his preference to join Liverpool.[31][30] Ekitike signed a six-year contract with Liverpool that will expire at the end of the 2030–31 season.[32]
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International career
Ekitike was eligible to play for France because of his birth and through his mother and for Cameroon through his father. He is a youth international for France, having represented the France U20s.[33]
Career statistics
- As of match played 17 May 2025[34]
- Includes Coupe de France, DFB-Pokal, FA Cup
- Includes EFL Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
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Honours
Paris Saint-Germain
France U20
Individual
- Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2024–25[38]
References
External links
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