Hugo Ekitike
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Hugo Timothée Ekitike. Born June 20th, 2002. A French professional footballer, currently a striker for Premier League giants Liverpool and the France national team.
His professional journey began at 18 with Stade de Reims. After honing his skills with their reserves, he was promoted to the senior squad in 2020. Loan spells at Vejle Boldklub and Paris Saint-Germain followed between 2021 and 2022, where he secured a Ligue 1 title and graced the UEFA Champions League. His move to PSG became permanent in 2023, though a single league appearance marked his time as a fully-fledged player.
In April 2024, Ekitike was loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt, a move that later became permanent that same year. His sole full season in Germany was exceptional: 15 goals in 33 league games, guiding Frankfurt to a third-place Bundesliga finish and earning him a spot in the 2024-25 Bundesliga Team of the Season. Then, in July 2025, Liverpool came calling, signing him for a reported €80 million.
Ekitike has also proudly represented France at youth international level, donning the jerseys for the under-20 and under-21 sides.
Born on June 20th, 2002, in Reims, France, Hugo Timothée Ekitike's heritage is a blend of Cameroonian and French. His footballing roots trace back to Cormontreuil FC, a local club, before he joined the Stade de Reims academy in 2013.
His professional career officially launched on July 12th, 2020, with his first professional contract at Reims. He made his senior team debut in a Ligue 1 loss to Lorient on October 17th, 2020. The following January, he embarked on a loan spell with Danish club Vejle Boldklub.
On September 26th, 2021, Ekitike made a significant impact, scoring two crucial goals as a substitute in Reims' 3-1 victory over Nantes. In the January transfer window of 2022, he turned down a move to Newcastle United, with Reims' president acknowledging "very good offers" but emphasizing the desire to "write a piece of history together."
Paris Saint-Germain announced his signing on July 16th, 2022, on a season-long loan with a purchase option, reportedly worth €35 million including bonuses. Several sources indicated this option was, in fact, mandatory.
Ekitike debuted for PSG as a substitute in a dominant 5-0 league win against Clermont on August 6th, 2022. His first start for the club came on October 1st in a 2-1 victory over Nice. Just ten days later, he made his UEFA Champions League debut, coming on as a late substitute in a draw against Benfica. His first goal for Paris Saint-Germain arrived on November 13th, in a resounding 5-0 home win against Auxerre. He concluded the season with four goals and four assists in thirty-two appearances, securing his first Ligue 1 title. In June 2023, his transfer to PSG became permanent, valued at €28.5 million plus €6.5 million in bonuses. By September 2023, reports suggested he was excluded from the Champions League squad for the upcoming season.
On February 1st, 2024, Ekitike joined Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt on loan, with a buy option. His debut came as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat. His first goal for the club was a memorable one in a 3-1 home win. On April 26th, Eintracht Frankfurt activated the buy option, securing his transfer for €16.5 million on a deal running until 2029. The very next day, he unleashed a stunning right-footed strike from outside the box against Bayern Munich. On April 10th, 2025, Ekitike delivered a long-range goal in the Europa League quarter-finals. By the end of the 2024-25 season, he had netted 15 goals in 33 league games, helping Frankfurt to a third-place finish and a Champions League spot. His stellar performances earned him a place in the 2024-25 Bundesliga Team of the Season.
On July 23rd, 2025, Ekitike made the move to Premier League club Liverpool for a potential €95 million. The initial payment was €80 million, with performance-related add-ons that could make it a club-record fee for Frankfurt. Newcastle United had also shown interest, but Ekitike's preference was clear: Liverpool. He signed a six-year contract, set to expire in 2031.
His Liverpool debut came in the FA Community Shield on August 10th, where he scored his first goal for the club in a penalty shootout loss. The following day, he debuted and scored in the Premier League in a victory over Bournemouth. On September 23rd, he scored the winning goal in an EFL Cup match against Southampton, only to be sent off after receiving a second yellow card for removing his shirt in celebration.
Ekitike was eligible to represent both France and Cameroon, but has chosen to play for France at youth international level, including for the U20s. On August 31st, 2025, he received his first call-up to the senior French squad, replacing the injured Rayan Cherki. He made his senior international debut on September 5th, coming off the bench in a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine, which France won 2-0.
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Hugo Timothée Ekitike (or Ekitiké; born 20 June 2002) is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Liverpool and the France national team.
Ekitike began his professional career at 18 with Stade de Reims, playing for their reserves team before being called up to the senior squad in 2020. Between 2021 and 2022, Ekitike had loan spells at Vejle Boldklub and Paris Saint-Germain, winning the Ligue 1 title and appearing in the UEFA Champions League. His loan became a full transfer in 2023, however he only made one league appearance as a permanent player.
Ekitike was sent on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt in April 2024, joining the club on a permanent basis later that year. During his only full season at Frankfurt, Ekitike scored 15 goals in 33 league games, helped Frankfurt to a 3rd-place finish in the Bundesliga, and appeared in the 2024–25 Bundesliga Team of the Season. In July 2025, he was signed by Liverpool for a reported fee of €80 million (£69 million).
Ekitike has represented France as a youth international player, appearing for the under-20 and under-21 sides.
== Early life ==
Hugo Timothée Ekitike was born on 20 June 2002 in Reims, Marne, France, to a Cameroonian father and a French mother. He began his youth career at Cormontreuil FC, a small local football club in Cormontreuil, before joining the academy at Stade de Reims in 2013.
== Club career ==
=== Reims ===
On 12 July 2020, Ekitike signed his first professional contract with Reims. He debuted with the senior team in a 3–1 Ligue 1 loss to Lorient on 17 October 2020. On 29 January 2021, Ekitike joined Danish Superliga club Vejle Boldklub on loan for the rest of the season.
On 26 September 2021, Ekitike scored Reims' second and third goals in a 3–1 win against Nantes, having come on as a substitute. In the January 2022 transfer window, Ekitike rejected a potential transfer to Newcastle United. Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot admitted that the club had received "very good offers" for Ekitike, but reiterated that "there is still a piece of history to write together".
=== Paris Saint-Germain ===
On 16 July 2022, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) announced the signing of Ekitike on a season-long loan with an option-to-buy for a reported fee of €35 million, bonuses included. According to several sources, the purchase option in the deal was made mandatory.
Ekitike made his PSG debut as a substitute in a 5–0 league win away to Clermont on 6 August 2022. On 1 October, he made his first start for the club in a 2–1 league victory over Nice at the Parc des Princes. Ten days later, Ekitike made his UEFA Champions League debut, coming on as a late-match substitute in a 1–1 home draw against Benfica. On 13 November, he scored his first goal for Paris Saint-Germain in a 5–0 home win over Auxerre. He finished the season with four goals and four assists in thirty-two matches, winning his first Ligue 1 title. In June 2023, his transfer to PSG became a permanent deal worth €28.5 million plus €6.5 million in bonuses. In September 2023, it was reported that he was excluded from the Champions League squad for the 2023–24 season.
=== Eintracht Frankfurt ===
On 1 February 2024, Ekitike signed for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt on loan until the end of the season with a buy option. He made his debut as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat away to FC Köln two days later. On 19 April, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 home victory over FC Augsburg. On 26 April, the buy option in Ekitike's loan deal at Eintracht Frankfurt was activated, and he was transferred for a fee of €16.5 million. He signed a deal until the end of the 2028–29 season. The following day, Ekitike scored a goal in 2–1 defeat away to Bayern Munich, a right-footed strike from outside the box into the bottom-right corner of the net. On 10 April 2025, Ekitike scored a long range strike in the Europa League quarter-finals first leg against Tottenham Hotspur.
By the end of the 2024–25 season, Ekitike scored 15 goals in 33 league games. The club finished in 3rd place in the Bundesliga, securing a spot in the 2025–26 Champions League. At the end of the campaign, Ekitike appeared in the 2024–25 Bundesliga Team of the Season.
=== Liverpool ===
On 23 July 2025, Ekitike signed for Premier League club Liverpool in a transfer worth up to €95 million (£82.4 million). The transfer includes an €80 million (£69 million) initial payment, and €15 million (£13 million) of performance-related add-ons that, if reached, would present a club-record fee for Eintracht Frankfurt, surpassing the €95 million (£82.3 million) paid for Randal Kolo Muani by Paris Saint-Germain in 2023. According to The Athletic and The Independent, Newcastle United had also offered €75 million (£70 million) for Ekitike, echoing their approach for the player in 2022, but Ekitike made clear his preference to join Liverpool. Ekitike signed a six-year contract with Liverpool that will expire at the end of the 2030–31 season.
Ekitike made his debut for Liverpool in the FA Community Shield against Crystal Palace on 10 August, scoring his first goal for the club in an eventual 3–2 loss on penalties following a 2–2 draw in normal time. On 15 August, he debuted and scored his first goal in the Premier League in a 4–2 win over Bournemouth.
On 23 September, he scored the winning goal for Liverpool in the 2-1 win against Southampton in the EFL Cup. After scoring the goal he removed his jersey in celebration and received a second yellow card and was sent-off.
== International career ==
Ekitike was eligible to play for France because of his birth and through his mother and for Cameroon through his father. He is a youth international for France, having represented the France U20. On 31 August 2025, he received his first call up to the French senior team, replacing the injured Rayan Cherki.. He went on to make his senior international debut on 5 September, coming off the bench with around ten minutes remaining in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification against Ukraine, which ended in a 2–0 victory for France.
== Career statistics ==
=== Club ===
As of match played 23 September 2025
=== International ===
As of match played 9 September 2025
== Honours ==
Paris Saint-Germain
Ligue 1: 2022–23, 2023–24
France U20
Maurice Revello Tournament: 2022
Individual
Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2024–25
== References ==
== External links ==
Profile at the Liverpool F.C. website
Hugo Ekitike at the French Football Federation (in French)
Hugo Ekitike – UEFA competition record (archive)
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