Hugo Ekitike’s Agent Reveals How Close Newcastle Came to Signing Striker Before Liverpool’s £79m Transfer

A prominent agent has disclosed that Newcastle United was very close to signing Hugo Ekitike this summer, but the deal was ultimately overshadowed by Liverpool’s £79 million acquisition of the player.

Ekitike had been on Newcastle’s radar since 2022, after they initially missed out on signing him when he joined Paris Saint-Germain for £30.6 million. Having struggled to establish himself at PSG, he was loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt, a move that was made permanent for £14 million in 2024. During his time at Frankfurt, Ekitike scored 26 goals in 64 appearances, reigniting Newcastle’s interest.

Frankfurt reportedly rejected a £70 million bid from Newcastle in July, which would have been a club record transfer fee. Nevertheless, Newcastle was beaten to his signing when Liverpool stepped in, completing a £79 million deal. The transfer was facilitated by Ekitike’s agent, Karl Mwalako.

Barat, working for Frankfurt at the time, expressed regret over the failed move, stating it was his biggest disappointment of the transfer window. He explained that everything was agreed upon with Frankfurt and the player, but Liverpool’s call convinced Ekitike to choose Anfield instead.

Ekitike ultimately traveled to Liverpool to finalize the move, joining the club amid a summer spending spree that saw Liverpool invest approximately £446 million, including a £125 million deadline day deal for Alexander Isak from Newcastle. Interestingly, Ekitike scored against Newcastle last month in Liverpool’s dramatic 3-2 victory at St James’ Park, where they overcame a 2-0 deficit with ten men on the field.