Links between Arsenal and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike currently appear to be more agent-driven, according to David Ornstein.
Arsenal are on the lookout for a striker this summer, with the likes of Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, and Benjamin Sesko regularly mentioned as potential targets for the club.
One other name doing the rounds lately has been Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt, but The Athletic’s David Ornstein has suggested that may be a case of the player’s agent or club pushing his name out there.
“I don’t know of him being one high up on Arsenal’s radar so far,” Ornstein told The Athletic FC Podcast. “I don’t know if that changes.
“His name’s being touted everywhere, which suggests there’s some pretty heavy lifting going on from an agent or maybe Eintracht Frankfurt.”
In many ways, you wouldn’t think Ekitike’s name needed much of a push into the spotlight at the moment. The 22-year-old striker has 19 goals and eight assists for Frankfurt this season, so he’s sure to have at least some suitors this summer.
Ekitike also scored a hat-trick against the England u21s over the international break, further boosting his profile in England.
But the player’s agent and club will be keen to push the price of a summer transfer up as high as they possibly can. Including Arsenal’s name in the mix could well be a tactic to achieve that goal.
Arsenal have been linked with Ekitike for a while, without much ever coming of it. There was talk of Gunners interest in 2022, when the striker was still at Stade Reims.
Ekitike moved from Reims to PSG that summer, before joining Frankfurt in 2024. A year later, he could be on the move again, but Arsenal aren’t leading the race.