Manchester United have registered their interest in signing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike during the summer transfer window.
Manchester United are preparing for a significant revamp of their attacking lineup this summer following a disappointing 2024/25 season that saw them slump to 15th in the Premier League — a drop largely attributed to their lack of firepower up front.
Bruno Fernandes topped the scoring charts with 19 goals, while Alejandro Garnacho and Amad each added 11. Rasmus Højlund chipped in with 10, but no other player managed to hit double digits across all competitions.
The club has already completed the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves and are increasingly optimistic about sealing a deal for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.
Despite these moves, the hunt for a proven central striker continues. One player attracting serious interest is 22-year-old Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt, who is firmly on United’s radar after an impressive campaign in Germany, where he netted 22 goals.
Amorim’s true feelings about Ekitike deal
Ekitike is a young and exciting striker but does not necessarily guarantee goals in the Premier League and a lot of United fans are wary about getting another striker without much experience.
This was a stance seemingly shared by Amorim, with reports earlier this week claiming that the boss’ demands were ‘ignored’ by the United board as they registered interest in Ekitike.
However, a fresh report from the Guardian has explained that the United boss is actually in favour of the move and that Amorim is interested in the player after the chances of signing Viktor Gyokeres were reduced.
Following on from this, it has been revealed that Frankfurt could be willing to sell their star player for around £60 million this summer, rather than the £85 million it would take to activate his release clause.
Ekitike is a well-known United supporter but also is attracting interest from the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, who can both offer him Champions League football next season.
Not every young striker will struggle like Højlund
It is obvious that Amorim – and most United fans – would prefer an experienced no.9 as there is much less risk attached to any kind of deal.
However, on the other hand, not every young signing will turn out like Højlund has. For example, Leny Yoro has shined at the back despite being inexperienced and in a difficult environment.
United should also be in a better position to support whoever is playing up front next season, with Cunha and – hopefully – Bryan Mbeumo offering that proven quality just behind.
Whether Etikite comes to the club or not, United may well end up with a less-experienced striker signing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will fail.
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