LIVERPOOL have announced the arrival of new striker Hugo Ekitike in a £79million deal from Eintracht Frankfurt.The Frenchman’s arrival comes after months of the Reds courting him and his camp, with an end-of-season meeting with Arne Slot proving crucial in turning his head.GettyLiverpool have announced the signing of Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt[/caption]Eiktike, 23, becomes Liverpool’s latest big-money addition this summer after splashing out on the like of Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Florian Wirtz – taking their total spend to just under £300m.The striker has penned a six-year deal on Merseyside, tying his future down with the champions after his impressive campaign in the Bundesliga last term.Ekitike scored 15 goals and registered eight assists in his 33 Bundesliga appearances during the 2024/25 campaign, earning himself a spot in the league’s Team of the Season.According to The Athletic, Liverpool beat a number of their Premier League rivals to Ekitike’s signature.Chelsea are said to have explored a move, Manchester United considered a late bid and Newcastle were well-known to have had an offer knocked back by Frankfurt. But Liverpool have been monitoring the bagsman for years, with senior recruitment figures at the club reportedly aware of his potential since he was at Reims. Liverpool are understood to have begun their pursuit of Ekitike in January but saw thing accelerate when boss Arne Slot spoke to the French youth international.The Athletic say that Slot outlined exactly where he sees Ekitike fitting into his squad, helping the deal move along.CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSEkitike’s fee is made up of a guaranteed sum of £69m with £10m in add-ons.He will now fly out to Hong Kong to join his Liverpool teammates for their pre-season tour of Asia.MORE TO FOLLOW…THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.