Hugo Ekitike is the latest success story of Eintracht Frankfurt’s recruitment.
The Frenchman was not unknown when he first joined Frankfurt on loan in early 2024 but had fallen in a bit of a hole. The striker had attracted the interest of other clubs, including Newcastle United, when he was coming through at Reims.
He opted for joining Paris St-Germain but he couldn’t quite break through amid the club’s embarrassment of riches in the attacking department.
Frankfurt picked him up and signed him on a permanent deal a year ago. He served as both a lone striker and in a partnership under Frankfurt manager Dino Toppmoller.
During the first half of last season, Ekitike and Omar Marmoush formed a fearsome pairing but this was broken up when Manchester City signed Marmoush for £63m in January.
Subsequently, Frankfurt did not acquire a replacement for Marmoush and instead changed the tactical set-up. During the second half of their 2024-25 campaign, Ekitike played up front, with two attacking midfielders behind him.
As for Ekitike’s playing style, he is versatile and is not a striker who only feels at home inside the box. When he played alongside Marmoush, both swapped positions constantly. Ekitike might not be the most dynamic player, but he can get by defenders with smart moves.
His tactical understanding is one of his great strengths not just in possession, but also when it comes to applying a high or midfield press.
