Liverpool have already splashed out more than £200m on new recruits this summer, though the Reds aren’t content to stop there. A new starting striker is wanted, as is a centre-back to replace Jarell Quansah and if Luis Diaz leaves, a new left winger too.

Regarding the striker chase, all manner of frontmen have been linked with moves to Anfield over the past month or so.

Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez has been mentioned, while more recent reports have suggested Liverpool have entered the race for Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP.

But according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Alvarez and Gyokeres can now be dismissed.

Taking to X, Plettenberg revealed the real striker targets Liverpool are chasing, with the club whittling their shortlist down to three.

“Liverpool are currently focusing on three concrete options in their search for a new number 9: Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak, and Victor Osimhen,” wrote the reporter.

“Liverpool have conducted thorough checks and gathered information on all of them.

“Ekitike, for example, is very high on the list. The French striker knows that if he moves to Liverpool, he will need to be patient because the club must sell players first.”

Isak, Osimhen, Ekitike… who will Liverpool sign?

Of the trio, Isak is understood to be Liverpool’s dream target, though he’ll also be the most difficult to sign and cost the highest fee.

Newcastle have maintained the stance that their star striker is not for sale at any price. There have been reports talking up a reluctant sale to help fund new arrivals, though TEAMtalk has been informed Eddie Howe has demanded the Newcastle board reject any and all offers they receive.

That might not prevent Liverpool from trying their luck, with our insider, Fraser Fletcher, learning a British record-destroying £150m bid has been considered within Anfield.

But as stated by Plettenberg, Liverpool must sell players like Darwin Nunez before being able to afford further moves on that scale.

The deeper into the window we go and the closer to the new season we get, the more Newcastle’s resolve to retain Isak – which is already sky high anyway – will grow.

Osimhen has the green light to leave Napoli and can be signed via a €75m / £64.3m release clause.

Ekitike is valued at a hefty €100m / £85.7m by Eintracht Frankfurt, though there could be scope to negotiate a lower sum.

Ekitike has been linked with Manchester United and Chelsea too but reports have stated the German side may be overblowing interest in their frontman to help drive up the price.

Chelsea have already signed Liam Delap this summer and have wrapped up a deal with Brighton for Joao Pedro. Whether the Blues can now be considered a genuine contender for Ekitike too remains to be seen.

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Only THREE names in the frame

The Reds have been linked with plenty of strikers over the past number of weeks but have had to watch on as they complete deals elsewhere.

Liam Delap and Joao Pedro were both of interest for example but have signed for Chelsea instead. Likewise, there were reports of interest in Matheus Cunha but he’s gone to Manchester United.

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And as fewer and fewer top-level strikers remain on the market, Liverpool’s search for a new frontman has narrowed to just three.

That’s according to the latest report from Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg who claims Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Victor Osimhen are the three names in the frame.

Isak, Ekitike and Osimhen on the hitlist

Isak, 25, is estimated to be worth over £120m but there has been increasing noise that a deal could be possible this summer. He is due a pay rise but the Magpies have not yet had much luck in striking a new deal.

Ekitike, 22, is valued at €100m by Eintracht Frankfurt. And with a contract until 2029, the Bundesliga side are reasonably well protected from a transfer fee perspective.

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The rangy French forward would be a good fit for Arne Slot, capable of clever combination play as well as devastating finishing.

And then there’s Osimhen. Napoli NEED to sell this summer in order to avoid losing the Nigerian hitman for free in 2026. At 26, he is in his prime and is coming off the back of a terrific season on loan at Galatasaray.

Liverpool must WAIT for outgoings

But of course any deal is contingent on exits and this is where Nunez’s future is so important. Liverpool paid a sum that could eventually reach £85m for the forward and need to recoup as much of that as possible.

But right now chief suitors Napoli don’t appear willing to stump up the cash. The player, meanwhile, isn’t interested in moving to the teams who CAN pay the fee in Saudi Arabia. So Liverpool’s striker search is at a standstill.

Manchester United are reportedly still keeping tabs on Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, but they’re not the only English club eyeing him.

United on the hunt for a striker

Heading into the summer transfer window, adding goals to the team was Ruben Amorim’s priority agenda. This has partially been achieved by the acquisition of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

United are also still in talks with Brentford over a deal for Bryan Mbeumo, after having two bids for the Cameroonian rejected.

But United’s ambitions don’t end there, with a new striker also being pursued. Rasmus Hojlund endured another difficult season and it’s evidently clear that the Dane can’t be relied upon to consistently lead the line for the team.

Having missed out on their first-choice target Liam Delap, who chose Chelsea instead, United have had to broaden their search, which explains their interest in Ekitike.

United enquire about Ekitike

Last month, a report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that United had established contact with Frankfurt over the possibility of doing a deal for Ekitike.

The German side are believed to want a sum of £85m for Ekitike, although there have been suggestions that he could be attained for significantly less than that. A £63m fee could be enough to convince Frankfurt to let Ekitike go.

There have been claims that United have also held discussions with Ekitike’s camp. These negotiations were described as positive, hinting that the player would be keen to seal a switch to Old Trafford if an agreement is struck with his employers.

Ekitike enjoyed was superb last term, netting 22 goals and providing an additional 12 assists across all competitions.

The former Paris Saint-Germain man managed an impressive 3.21 shots per game and fashioned 19 big chances, highlighting just how effective and dangerous he was.

United still in the running for Ekitike but will have to ward off competition

According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, United remain interested in the Frenchman, but they will have to be wary of competition from Liverpool and Newcastle.

Plettenberg wrote on X, “Eintracht Frankfurt would like to keep Hugo Ekitike, also to be well prepared for the Champions League.”

“However, Eintracht are expecting offers this month. Liverpool remain a concrete option.”

“Newcastle have renewed their interest. Manchester United still there. Chelsea are currently unlikely due to the transfer of João Pedro. His price tag is €100m.”

🚨🦅 Eintracht Frankfurt would like to keep Hugo #Ekitike, also to be well prepared for the Champions League. However, Eintracht are expecting offers this month. Liverpool remain a concrete option. Newcastle have renewed their interest. Manchester United still there. Chelsea… pic.twitter.com/DO93EW1JRP — Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) July 12, 2025

Plettenberg points out that, for now, it’s wide open and no one really knows where Ekitike will end up.

Featured image Christof Koepsel via Getty Images

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The Reds have flown out of the blocks in the summer transfer window with the Liverpool board backing Arne Slot after the Dutchman won the Premier League title in his first season at Anfield.

Slot’s side have already signed Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong as their three big arrivals, while Freddie Woodman and Armin Pecsi have also joined to boost their goalkeeping department.

Their attention has turned to sales and trying to buy a new number nine with Darwin Nunez extremely likely to depart Anfield this summer for the right price.

Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg recently revealed that Liverpool had three targets in contention to become their new striker with Entracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen all on their list.

Plettenberg wrote on X: ‘Liverpool are currently focusing on three concrete options in their search for a new number 9: Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak, and Victor Osimhen.

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‘#LFC have conducted thorough checks and gathered information on all of them. Ekitike, for example, is very high on the list. The French striker knows that if he moves to Liverpool, he will need to be patient because the club must sell players first.’

The Empire of the Kop has claimed that Liverpool are ‘looking for a centre-forward with pace who can also press and is adept at link-up play’ and that Frankfurt’s Ekitike ‘has been identified as the best fit for that profile’.

It is claimed that the Bundesliga side are looking for between €85m and €100m to sell Ekitike this summer and Liverpool will need to offload some players first before making their move.

Empire of the Kop adds that Isak was their clear ‘Plan A’ striker signing this summer but that ‘there’s a realisation that it’d be extremely difficult to sign him this summer, with Newcastle not planning to consider any offers of less than £150m’.

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Amid interest from Arsenal, former Premier League midfielder Jermaine Jenas has revealed the only clubs Isak should leave Newcastle United for.

Jenas said on talkSPORT: “As a football club yes, it’s [Arsenal] a bigger football club than Newcastle.

“But in terms of the teams that they’ve both got currently, I think that for him to leave Newcastle… If I was Alexander Isak, this phone call needs to come in from Real Madrid, or it needs to come in from Barcelona, or potentially Liverpool currently right now. I don’t think there’s any others that would tempt me that much to leave Newcastle.”

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Indeed, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo did a more than solid job at filling in as Arne Slot’s number nine last season, but in reality, they’d be far better off with a natural striker leading their attack.

There’s also no hiding from the fact that Liverpool will be expected to come away with the Premier League title once again in the 2025-26 campaign.

Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images

So, for them to do this, a consistent number nine will be key, and while many players have been linked, it looks like the Reds are set to zone in on one particular target.

Liverpool set to firm up their interest in Hugo Ekitike this summer

One of the main things that seems to be holding up a deal for Hugo Ekitike this summer is his price tag.

Eintracht Frankfurt currently value Ekitike at around £85million due to the length of time left on his current contract and the potential he could end up fulfilling.

And, as per a new report from Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, it’s clear that Liverpool won’t be stopping their pursuit of the attacker any time soon.

“Eintracht Frankfurt would like to keep Hugo Ekitike, also to be well prepared for the Champions League,” Plettenberg wrote via his personal X account.

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“However, Eintracht are expecting offers this month. Liverpool remain a concrete option. Newcastle have renewed their interest. Manchester United still there.

“Chelsea are currently unlikely due to the transfer of João Pedro. His price tag is €100m.

“How will the poker end?”

Hugo Ekitike would be an impressive coup for Liverpool

Although Ekitike is likely to take every last piece of money that Liverpool have in their war chest, there’s no denying that he’s an exceptional talent.

The striker is only 23 years old and has come into his own over the last year or so.

He bagged himself 22 goals across all competitions last season and more than proved his worth when Omar Marmoush was sold to Manchester City.

In fact, his performance against Tottenham in the Europa League back in April was so good that a TNT Sports commentator hailed him as a “stunning” player.

Of course, only time will tell whether Liverpool will be able to scrape the money together for a move, but if they can, Anfield will likely become even more of a fortress than it already is.