Journalist CONFIRMS Liverpool interest in £50m superstar

Liverpool are on the hunt for attacking recruits this summer and a variety of options are being considered.

This is despite the news that Mohamed Salah will be staying at Liverpool beyond this season, having penned a new two-year deal with the club that was formally announced earlier this morning.

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Liverpool are rocketing towards a 20th first-division title - they only need to put 11 more points on the board in the remaining seven games of the season - although the team has plenty of holes in it that need filling.

Part of the joy that fans have felt since the Salah renewal agreement news came out has been because the rest of the attacking unit has been underwhelming throughout the campaign. Players will move on and others will be brought in to replace them, but the eight-season wonder will be firmly staying put.

Anfield Watch understands that Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez are all at risk of leaving, and that's just the expected changes in the forward lineup.

One player rumoured of a move to the Reds has now been confirmed as "one to keep a close eye on" this summer.

Hugo Ekitike is a player firmly on Liverpool's radar

The Daily Mail's Liverpool correspondent Lewis Steele has given his verdict on the rumours surround the young superstar that is Hugo Ekitike at Eintracht Frankfurt.

In his latest Liverpool Confidential, he wrote: "Hugo Ekitike is the name that pops up the most when I speak to people so I think it is fair to say he is one to keep a close eye on.

"The France Under 21 star has scored 19 goals and made eight assists for Eintracht Frankfurt this season and ticks a lot of boxes in terms of his age profile and experience – he is playing every week in a top league and has European experience, too."

This update firmly conforms to Anfield Watch's understanding that Liverpool are very interested in the Frenchman, having opened talks with his representatives just last week.

His talent is clear for all to see and while the club will be assessing many different players who could replenish the team's front line, it is difficult to look further than the young goal machine.

According to FootballTransfers.com, he is currently valued at £50m, although Frankfurt have reportedly set an asking price of £68m (€80m),

Nonetheless, those figures are substantially lower than the £100m fee that both Brighton and Newcastle are hoping to receive for Joao Pedro and Alexander Isak.

Liverpool have been undergoing a process of lowering the squad's average age over the last few seasons, in order to eventually have a team that is entering it's prime years at the same time, to help compete for trophies in the future.

If Etikike can be brought to Anfield, then the Reds will have a striker that will only get better as his career progresses, and there is a high prospect that he could spend a significant time span with us.

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Of course, getting the Frenchman to leave the Bundesliga will be a tough ask, but the project that Liverpool are building under Arne Slot could easily turn into a dynasty if the right moves are made this summer.

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