Ekitike Joins Liverpool Squad in Hong Kong After €79m Transfer Completion... He Received Warm Reception From Team Mates

Liverpool’s newest signing, French striker Hugo Ekitike, joined his teammates in Hong Kong less than 24 hours after the club confirmed his £79 million transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt. The deal, which includes an initial £69 million fee plus up to £10 million in performance-related bonuses, was finalised following the player’s successful medical in the UK.

Ekitike arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday afternoon and immediately made his way to Kai Tak Stadium, where Liverpool held an open training session in front of around 25,000 fans. After the session, he stepped onto the pitch to greet head coach Arne Slot and was introduced to senior players including captain Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson.

During the team walk following training, Ekitike was seen speaking with key squad members. Andy Robertson noted the importance of helping new players settle in quickly, saying, “When you look at the four older players... we take it upon ourselves to integrate them into the squad as quickly as possible.”

Although Ekitike is not expected to feature in Saturday’s friendly against AC Milan, there is hope he could make his debut in Liverpool’s next tour match in Japan.

This marks Liverpool’s seventh signing of the summer, with the club’s total spending approaching £300 million. Ekitike, 23, had a standout 2024–25 season at Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring 22 goals and providing 12 assists across all competitions, including 15 goals in the Bundesliga. He chose to join Liverpool despite late interest from Manchester United and Newcastle United.