- 26 June
- 16K+ views
Arteta picks his striker: Arsenal rival Chelsea for €100m star
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 30 Jun 2025 06:21 CDT
- 4 min read
News
Arsenal have joined Chelsea in the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike this summer.
The France U21 international has been widely tipped to leave Frankfurt ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, amid significant interest from the Premier League, although his asking price is currently proving to be a major stumbling block.
Current ETV
Hugo Ekitiké
F (C)
E. Frankfurt
Hugo Ekitiké
F (C)
E. Frankfurt
ETV Range
€51.9M - €63.5M
Ekitike is valued at €100 million by the decision-makers at Eintracht Frankfurt and they are unwilling to sanction a sale unless their asking price is matched by an interested party.
Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United have all been linked with a move for Ekitike in recent weeks, while Arsenal have now rekindled their interest in the 23-year-old, according to German outlet Bild.
Mikel Arteta’s side were among the clubs monitoring Ekitike’s form during the final few months of last season, and they have now firmly joined the race for his signature amid their pursuit of a new centre forward.
FootballTransfers understands that Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are Arsenal’s two priority striker targets, while The Transfers Podcast has been informed that Ollie Watkins and Nicolas Jackson are also on the Gunners’ radar.
However, Ekitike has now emerged as an alternative option, after scoring 22 goals in 48 games last season, although it remains to be seen if Arsenal are willing to match Frankfurt’s €100m valuation.
The expert’s opinion
Bundesliga expert Ronan Murphy says: “Arsenal are in need of someone who can shoulder the responsibility of being their number 9, someone who they can rely on to be a prolific goalscorer.
“After Omar Marmoush was sold to Manchester City, Hugo Ekitike took on both of these roles at Eintracht Frankfurt and did everything that was expected of him.
“The Gunners have tried and tested various number 9s and non-number 9s to fit the position under Mikel Arteta, but it's now time to stop trusting the process and get someone in who already fits.
“Ekitike will be exactly this for Arsenal, as he can hit the ground running in the Premier League just like Marmoush did at City. The transfer fee is much more than Ekitike is worth, but Frankfurt always maximise profit and will do so again here.
“If he performs as expected at Arsenal, the outlay will be worth every penny for Arteta and the Gunners.”
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