Liverpool transfer news: Reds ready to 'open talks' to sign £86m attacker

Liverpool are reportedly preparing to hold initial talks to sign Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, but they need to offload a few players to fund his potential move. 

The Reds have spent heavily in the summer window so far, having signed Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, with the latter joining on a club-record transfer fee from Bayer Leverkusen. 

The Premier League champions were rocked by the tragic death of Diogo Jota last week, and this will make them even more determined to regain the title and clinch more silverware in the upcoming season in his memory. 

According to a report from GIVEMESPORT, Liverpool are ready to hold talks over a deal for Ekitike, but they can forget about signing him on a cut-price deal. 

The German club are demanding a fee of around £86m for the striker, and they are confident of securing the entire amount before the transfer window slams shut. 

Ekitike would be a terrific signing for Liverpool 

The French striker joined Frankfurt initially on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the January window of 2024, and the move was later made permanent last summer. 

The two-time league winner with PSG enjoyed a stellar 2024-25 campaign with Frankfurt, in which he scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions. The former Reims striker managed 3.21 shots per game and created 19 big chances, showcasing his elite-level quality. 

Liverpool are expected to face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United for the striker's signature, while Al-Hilal and Al-Qadsiah have been looking to lure him to Saudi Arabia. 

The report further claims that Chelsea and other domestic rivals are unwilling to enter into a potential bidding war for Ekitike, and as a result, Liverpool have a golden opportunity to negotiate a reasonable deal with Frankfurt for the striker. 

Arne Slot needs to sell players to fund the move for Ekitike

Liverpool will need to offload at least one of their forwards to fund a move for the French attacker, and in all probability, Darwin Nunez could be sacrificed. 

The Uruguayan striker struggled to make an impact last season, having scored just five goals in the Premier League, and is now facing an uncertain future at Anfield. 

Luis Diaz is also being targeted by German champions Bayern Munich and La Liga giants Barcelona, and the Reds could allow the Colombian to depart if they receive a handsome transfer fee. 

Liverpool could also try to include Harvey Elliott, who is almost certain to leave Anfield, as part of the deal for Ekitike. However, the Bundesliga club are most likely to demand that the money be paid in full rather than a player-plus-cash swap deal.