Hugo Ekitike
_(cropped2).jpg) Ekitike playing for Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hugo Ekitike | ||
| Date of birth | 20 June 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Reims, France | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Liverpool | ||
| Number | 22 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2013 | Cormontreuil FC | ||
| 2013–2019 | Reims | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2021 | Reims B | 15 | (6) |
| 2020–2023 | Reims | 26 | (10) |
| 2021 | → Vejle Boldklub (loan) | 11 | (3) |
| 2022–2023 | → Paris Saint-Germain (loan) | 25 | (3) |
| 2023–2024 | Paris Saint-Germain | 1 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Eintracht Frankfurt (loan) | 14 | (4) |
| 2024–2025 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 33 | (15) |
| 2025– | Liverpool | 1 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021–2022 | France U20 | 6 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | France U21 | 5 | (5) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:30, 15 August 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22 July 2025 | |||
Hugo Ekitike (or Ekitiké; born 20 June 2002) is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Liverpool.
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 first full season at Eintracht, Ekitike scored 15 goals in 33 league games, finished 7th-place in the Bundesliga, and appeared in the 2024–25 Bundesliga Team of the Season. In July 2025, Liverpool signed Ekitike 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 Ekitike was born to a Cameroonian father and a French mother on 20 June 2002[2] in Reims, Marne, France.[3][4][5] 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.[6]
Club career
Reims
On 12 July 2020, Ekitike signed his first professional contract with Reims.[7] He debuted with the senior team in a 3–1 Ligue 1 loss to Lorient on 17 October 2020.[8] On 29 January 2021, Ekitike joined Danish Superliga club Vejle Boldklub on loan for the rest of the season.[9]
On 26 September 2021, Ekitike scored Reims' second and third goals in a 3–1 win against Nantes, having come on as a substitute.[10] 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".[11]
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.[12] According to several sources, the purchase option in the deal was made mandatory.[13]
Ekitike made his PSG debut as a substitute in a 5–0 league win away to Clermont on 6 August 2022.[14] On 1 October, he made his first start for the club in a 2–1 league victory over Nice at the Parc des Princes.[15] 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.[16] On 13 November, he scored his first goal for Paris Saint-Germain in a 5–0 home win over Auxerre.[17] He finished the season with four goals and four assists in thirty-two matches, winning his first Ligue 1 title.[18] In June 2023, his transfer to PSG became a permanent deal worth €28.5 million plus €6.5 million in bonuses.[19][20] In September 2023, it was reported that he was excluded from the Champions League squad for the 2023–24 season.[21]
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.[22] He made his debut as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat away to FC Köln two days later.[23] On 19 April, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 home victory over FC Augsburg.[24] 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.[25] He signed a deal until the end of the 2028–29 season.[26] 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.[27] On 10 April 2025, Ekitike scored a long range strike in the Europa League quarter-finals first leg against Tottenham Hotspur.[28]
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.[29]
Liverpool
On 23 July 2025, Ekitike signed for Premier League club Liverpool in a transfer worth up to €95 million (£82.4 million).[30] 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.[31] 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.[32][31] Ekitike signed a six-year contract with Liverpool that will expire at the end of the 2030–31 season.[33]
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.[34] On 15 August, he debuted and scored his first goal in the Premier League in a 4–2 win over Bournemouth.[35]
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 U20s.[36]
Career statistics
- As of match played 15 August 2025[37]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Reims B | 2019–20 | Championnat National 2 | 12 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 5 | ||||
| 2020–21 | Championnat National 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 2021–22 | Championnat National 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 15 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 6 | ||||||
| Reims | 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 10 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 26 | 11 | ||||
| Total | 26 | 10 | 2 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 28 | 11 | ||||
| Vejle Boldklub (loan) | 2020–21 | Danish Superliga | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 3 | |||
| Paris Saint-Germain (loan) | 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 4[c] | 0 | — | 32 | 4 | ||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 26 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 33 | 4 | ||||
| Eintracht Frankfurt (loan) | 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 14 | 4 | — | — | 2[d] | 0 | — | 16 | 4 | |||
| Eintracht Frankfurt | 2024–25 | Bundesliga | 33 | 15 | 3 | 3 | — | 12[e] | 4 | — | 48 | 22 | ||
| Total | 47 | 19 | 3 | 3 | — | 14 | 4 | — | 64 | 26 | ||||
| Liverpool | 2025–26 | Premier League | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[f] | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Career total | 125 | 42 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 153 | 52 | ||
- ^ Includes Coupe de France, DFB-Pokal, FA Cup
- ^ Includes EFL Cup
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearance in FA Community Shield
Honours
Paris Saint-Germain
France U20
Individual
- Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2024–25[41]
References
- ^ "Hugo Ekitiké: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ "Hugo Ekitike". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ "Hugo Ekitike". Verif.com (in French). Retrieved 8 March 2025.
- ^ "Hugo Ekitike". L'Équipe (in French). Paris. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ "Hugo Ekitiké : « l'équipe de France représente tout »". 5 March 2025.
- ^ "Hugo Ekitiké: The brightest of young talents". Eintracht Frankfurt. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
- ^ "Premier contrat pro pour Hugo Ekitike ! | Stade de Reims". stade-de-reims.com.
- ^ "Reims vs. Lorient – 17 October 2020 – Soccerway". Soccerway.
- ^ Vejle Boldklub forstærker sig med Ligue 1-talent Archived 31 October 2021 at the Wayback Machine, vejle-boldklub.dk, 29 January 2021
- ^ Oludare, Shina (26 September 2021). "Simon scores as Nantes lose to Ekitike's Reims". Goal (website). Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ^ "Hugo Ekitike: Newcastle move for Reims forward off". Sky Sports. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ "Hugo Ekitiké signs with Paris Saint-Germain". Paris Saint-Germain FC. 16 July 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
- ^ Aouna, Santi (16 July 2022). "PSG : option d'achat obligatoire pour Hugo Ekitike". Foot Mercato (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ "Debut for Ekitiké". Paris Saint-Germain FC. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ "Ligue 1 : première titularisation pour Ekitike avec le PSG, Mbappé remplaçant contre Nice". Le Figaro (in French). 1 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
- ^ "C1 - PSG Benfica : Les impressions d'Ekitike après le match". Planète PSG (in French). 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ Hunsley, James (13 November 2022). "PSG coasting to another Ligue 1 title! Mbappe among scorers but Mendes shines brightest as champions pulverise Auxerre".
- ^ Paristeam (20 June 2023). "PSG : Hugo Ekitike, un contrat de 4 ans". Paristeam (in French). Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ Chochois, Alexandre (21 February 2023). "Mercato : le PSG dans l'obligation d'acheter Ekitike, si..." (in French). Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ Aouna, Santi (16 July 2022). "PSG : option d'achat obligatoire pour Hugo Ekitike". Foot Mercato (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ Hawkins, Fabrice (6 September 2023). "PSG: Ekitike et Verratti officiellement écartés de la liste A de la Ligue des champions, Ethan Mbappé et Housni dans la liste B". RMC Sport (in French).
- ^ "Eintracht Frankfurt sign Hugo Ekitiké". Eintracht Frankfurt. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "FC Cologne vs. Eintracht Frankfurt". Soccerway. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "PSG loanee Ekitiké scores winner as Eintracht Frankfurt beats Augsburg". Connecticut Post. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ Eintracht Frankfurt uses option to buy PSG striker Hugo Ekitiké following loan move
- ^ "Francfort lève l'option d'achat pour Hugo Ekitike (PSG)". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ "Bayern 2-1 Eintracht Fr.: results, summary and goals". AS.com. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ "Wasteful Tottenham forced to settle for draw with Frankfurt". ESPN. 10 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ Sebastian Stafford-Bloor and more. "Liverpool agree Hugo Ekitike deal with Eintracht Frankfurt". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ^ "Liverpool agree deal to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt - Liverpool FC". www.liverpoolfc.com. 23 July 2025. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ a b David Ornstein and more. "Liverpool reach outline of agreement with Frankfurt over Hugo Ekitike transfer". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 19 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ^ "Hugo Ekitike to undergo Liverpool medical after £79m fee agreed". The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ^ "How Hugo Ekitike ended up at Liverpool, and what they're getting". ESPN.com. 21 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ^ "Crystal Palace 2–2 Liverpool (3–2 on pens)". BBC Sport. 10 August 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "Liverpool 4–2 Bournemouth". BBC Sport. 15 August 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ "Foot : Ekitike et Lukeba promus chez les Espoirs". 9 November 2021.
- ^ Hugo Ekitike at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "Paris Saint-Germain crowned French champions for the 11th time". Paris Saint-Germain FC. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ^ "Paris Saint-Germain win their 12th Ligue 1 title!". Paris Saint-Germain FC. 28 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ Hugo Ekitike at the French Football Federation (in French)
- ^ "The EA FC 25 Bundesliga Team of the Season 2024/25". Bundesliga. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
External links
- Profile at the Liverpool F.C. website
- Hugo Ekitike at the French Football Federation (in French)
- Hugo Ekitike – UEFA competition record (archive)