Chelsea target Hugo Ekitike is one of the best players in the attacking market - ahead of Arsenal targets Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres - it has been claimed.
Enzo Maresca is on the verge of reuniting with Liam Delap in a £30million deal but they're expected to look to further bolster their attacking force. Reports suggest that the Stamford Bridge club are in pole position for the 22-year-old with Liverpool mooted as rivals.
The Bundesliga club are rumoured to want €100million (around £84m) for the former Paris Saint-Germain star as Florian Plettenberg claimed that Chelsea are working on a verbal agreement with the France under-21 international.
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Ekitike has fired his way into the conversation after netting 15 goals in 33 appearances as he helped Eintracht Frankfurt qualify for the Champions League.
Chelsea are pushing to rival those at the Premier League summit once again and made great strides to do so with their UEFA Conference League triumph complementing their top-four finish.
The Blues' city and Premier League foes are vying for the next talisman with Arsenal scouring the market for their first striker addition in seven years.
Reports suggest the Gunners are targeting Sesko and Gyokeres, who have both established themselves as the next superstars off the ranks.
Ekitke, should he sign, faces the task of breaking the cycle and with a hefty transfer fee to match but it's been claimed that he is better than Arsenal targets Sesko and Gyokeres.
"They did it with the Kolo-Muani transfer and no one expected them to go so hard on PSG until the last second, I think that helps them now," BILD's Eintracht Frankfurt reporter Johannes Wolf said speaking to football.london.
"The understanding within the business is Ekitike is a better striker than Kolo-Muani was and if he got you €95million, they’re trying to get the €100m. If they do?
"We’ll see, if you ask me, I think they will come at least very close or get it with the bonus structure. Marmoush went to €82million to Manchester City, when he was 22 - like Ekitike is now - he was playing in the second division in Germany. Now, Ekitike has great numbers with Frankfurt in almost every competition.
"It’s a high fee but it’s not completely unreasonable, especially when you look at the potential, especially with what’s available.
"If you ask me, he’s the biggest prize after Isak on the market this year, I see him as better than [Benjamin] Sesko, some people have question marks over [Viktor] Gyokeres, so I can see why Frankfurt ask for a fee of €100m."
