Background Information
Hugo Ekitike, also known as Ekitiké, is a French professional football player who plays as a striker for Liverpool in the Premier League. He was born on June 20, 2002.
Before getting called up to the main squad in 2020, Ekitike started his professional career at the age of 18 with Stade de Reims, playing for their reserves team. Ekitike won the Ligue 1 championship and played in the UEFA Champions League while on loan at Vejle Boldklub and Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and 2022. Although he only made one league game as a permanent player, his loan was converted to a full move in 2023.
In April 2024, Ekitike was loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt, and later that year, he became a permanent member of the team. Ekitike finished seventh in the Bundesliga, scored 15 goals in 33 league games, and was named to the 2024–25 Bundesliga Team of the Season during his first full season at Eintracht. Ekitike was acquired by Liverpool in July 2025 for an estimated €80 million (£69 million).
As a young international player, Ekitike has played for France’s under-20 and under-21 teams.
Early Life
On June 20, 2002, Hugo Ekitike was born in Reims, Marne, France, to a French mother and a Cameroonian father. Before enrolling in the Stade de Reims academy in 2013, he started his youth career at Cormontreuil FC, a small local football club in Cormontreuil.
Career
Reims
Hugo Ekitike signed his first professional deal with Reims on July 12, 2020. On October 17, 2020, he made his senior squad debut in a 3-1 Ligue 1 defeat to Lorient. Ekitike signed a loan deal with Vejle Boldklub of the Danish Superliga on January 29, 2021, for the remainder of the season.
He came on as a substitute and scored Reims’ second and third goals in a 3-1 victory over Nantes on September 26, 2021. Ekitike turned down a possible deal to Newcastle United during the January 2022 transfer window. Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot reaffirmed that “there is still a piece of history to write together” while acknowledging that the team had received “very good offers” for Ekitike.
Paris Saint-Germain
Ekitike was signed by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on July 16, 2022, for a reported €35 million, including bonuses, on a season-long loan with a buyout option. Several reports claim that the deal’s purchase option was made obligatory.
On August 6, 2022, Ekitike made his PSG debut as a substitute in a 5–0 league victory over Clermont. He started his debut game for the team on October 1st, as they defeated Nice 2-1 in the league at the Parc des Princes. Ten days later, in a 1-1 home tie with Benfica, Ekitike made his UEFA Champions League debut as a late substitute.
He scored his first goal for Paris Saint-Germain in a 5–0 victory over Auxerre at home on November 13. He won his first Ligue 1 championship at the end of the season with four goals and four assists in thirty-two games. His €28.5 million permanent transfer to PSG, plus €6.5 million in bonuses, was finalized in June 2023. He was reportedly left off of the Champions League roster for the 2023–2024 campaign in September 2023.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Hugo Ekitike signed a loan deal with Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt on February 1, 2024, with a buyout option until the end of the season. Two days later, in a 2-0 loss against FC Köln on the road, he made his debut as a substitute. In a 3-1 victory over FC Augsburg at home on April 19, he scored his first goal for the team. On April 26, Ekitike was sold for a €16.5 million sum after the buy option in his loan agreement with Eintracht Frankfurt was activated. He agreed to a contract through the 2028–2029 season’s conclusion. Ekitike’s right-footed drive from outside the box into the bottom-right corner of the net gave them a goal the next day in their 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich.
He scored a long-range goal against Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals on April 10, 2025.
In 33 league games by the end of the 2024–25 season, Ekitike had 15 goals. The team qualified for the 2025–26 Europa League by finishing seventh in the Bundesliga. Ekitike made an appearance in the 2024–25 Bundesliga Team of the Season at the end of the season.
Liverpool
Hugo Ekitike signed a contract worth up to €91 million (£79 million) with Liverpool, a Premier League team, on July 23, 2025. The deal consists of an initial payment of €80 million (£69 million) and performance-related add-ons of €11.5 million (£10 million), which, if fulfilled, would be nearly a club-record price for Eintracht Frankfurt, coming close to the €95 million (£82.3 million) Paris Saint-Germain paid for Randal Kolo Muani in 2023. Newcastle United made an offer of €75 million (£70 million) for Ekitike, similar to their 2022 approach, but Ekitike made it obvious that he preferred to join Liverpool, according to The Athletic and The Independent. Ekitike and Liverpool agreed on a six-year contract that will finish at the conclusion of the 2030–31 campaign.
International Career
Due to his birth and his mother, Ekitike was qualified to play for France, and through his father, for Cameroon. Having played for the France U20s, he is a French youth international.
Faith
Given his upbringing, Hugo Ekitike might be a Catholic or other Christian, yet his religious views are not well known.
Personal Life
He is a remarkable 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) tall. Although little is known about his romantic relationships or current girlfriend, his height frequently comes up in conversations about him because it shapes how the public views athletes, especially in sports like football, where physical presence is frequently emphasized.
Net Worth
Hugo Ekitike’s increasing success in professional football is reflected in his estimated net worth of $2.67 million. Due to his exceptional performances in the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he was able to secure a permanent transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, his market value has increased to €20 million.
He reportedly made almost €600,000 a month when on loan at PSG, however actual compensation details at Frankfurt aren’t commonly verified. According to previous reports surrounding his relocation, it is estimated that his remuneration after moving to Frankfurt will be between €2.5 and €3 million every season.
Honours
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2022–23, 2023–24
France U20
- Maurice Revello Tournament: 2022
Individual
- Bundesliga Team of the Season
