Super-agent explains how Hugo Ekitike rejected Newcastle for Liverpool

Updated: 24 Nov, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Super-agent explains how Hugo Ekitike rejected Newcastle for Liverpool

Liverpool's summer transfer window dominance has been underlined yet again, with super-agent Ali Barat confirming that Hugo Ekitike was one step away from joining Newcastle United before the Reds' late swoop.

The 23-year-old striker completed a £69 million transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt to Anfield, with an additional £10 million in add-ons, as part of Arne Slot's rebuild.

His arrival came just weeks before Liverpool also signed Alexander Isak from Newcastle in a British-record £125 million deal, further rubbing salt into the wounds of Eddie Howe's side.

Now, super-agent Ali Barat has revealed that Ekitike was on the brink of joining Newcastle before Liverpool made a late move.

'Everything Was Agreed with Newcastle'

Speaking to TuttoSport, Barat admitted he spent over a week in Germany negotiating with Eintracht and Ekitike on Newcastle's behalf.

I was working on behalf of Eintracht Frankfurt to bring him to Newcastle.

I stayed in Germany for ten days. We agreed everything with the German club and the player, then Liverpool called him and he chose Anfield.

The revelation is another blow for Newcastle, who believed they had secured the striker before Liverpool's intervention.

Ekitike the 'Perfect Centre-Forward'

Ekitike, once labelled the "perfect centre-forward" by ex-Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves on TNT Sports, is viewed as a long-term partner to Isak at Anfield.

For Newcastle, the collapse of the deal highlights the difficulty of competing with the Premier League champions both financially and in terms of sporting project.

As for Liverpool fans, you can get Hugo Ekitike's new Liverpool shirt here.

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