Chelsea have already secured England U21 star Liam Delap from Ipswich Town on a permanent deal, and further reinforcements—especially in attack—are on the horizon. Among the key targets is France U21 forward Hugo Ekitike.
Ekitike enjoyed a breakthrough season with Eintracht Frankfurt last term, scoring 22 goals and providing 12 assists across all competitions, marking his most prolific top-flight campaign to date.
Although several clubs are reportedly interested in the 22-year-old, Chelsea appear to be leading the chase. Transfer expert Burgos reports that the Blues are now aiming to finalize a deal to bring Ekitike to Stamford Bridge this summer.
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Chelsea are currently negotiating personal terms with Ekitike, who earns approximately €96,000 (£80,000) per week at Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park. Talks with Frankfurt over a transfer are ongoing, but an agreement has yet to be reached.
With four years remaining on his contract, Frankfurt hold the upper hand and are demanding no less than €90 million (£75 million) to approve the move, making this a challenging negotiation.
An Attack Upgrade
If completed, Ekitike would join Enzo Maresca’s squad as one of two new centre-forwards, alongside Liam Delap, adding to an already competitive attacking group.
This development raises questions about Nicholas Jackson’s future at Chelsea. Burgos notes that Ekitike’s arrival could impact the Senegalese forward’s role next season. While Jackson has struggled for consistency and finishing, his work rate and link-up play have been important for the team’s overall cohesion, making his potential departure a subject of mixed reactions.
Nevertheless, Ekitike is widely viewed as an upgrade—offering relentless effort, strong link-up play, and clinical finishing, qualities Jackson has sometimes lacked.
Though Frankfurt’s valuation is steep, Chelsea’s reputation as big spenders suggests they won’t be deterred—especially given Ekitike’s immediate quality and ability to boost the team’s attacking threat.