“Deal ‘falls through’: Liverpool supporters should be vigilant following a breaking update from Sky Sports.”
Chelsea’s chances of signing Hugo Ekitike before the Club World Cup deadline now seem to be completely over.
Tuesday marks the last day of the provisional summer transfer window, which will reopen on June 16. The Blues are among several clubs racing to finalize signings.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Ekitike has officially fallen through, according to Sky Germany’s reporter Florian Plettenberg on X (formerly Twitter). While Chelsea isn’t out of the running for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, this setback gives Liverpool an advantage in their pursuit of Ekitike, allowing them crucial time to continue negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen and Bournemouth for Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez, respectively. Both deals are progressing well, and confirmation is expected soon.
### Darwin Nunez’s Future
It’s well-known how limited Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez were last season. Jota may soon find himself on the “to-be-sold” list, while Nunez’s inconsistent performance and goal tally for 2024/25 make him a prime candidate for departure. Gregg Evans from The Athletic has reported that Liverpool is open to bids, raising the question of whether any club will meet their valuation. Successfully selling either could recoup a significant portion of the €100m (£84.6m) asking price for Ekitike.
### Ekitike Compared to Nunez and Jota
Although Chelsea may have the edge in the race for Ekitike, if Liverpool aims to retain their Premier League title, the Frenchman is certainly one to watch. Ekitike has impressive scoring potential, but his last season’s numbers fell short compared to Jota’s 15 goals in 1,711 minutes, with Jota scoring every 114.06 minutes.
What sets Ekitike apart is his exceptional dribbling skills:
| Player | Progressive Carries (per 90) | Successful Dribbles (per game) | Successful Take-Ons (per 90) |
|—————-|——————————-|———————————|——————————-|
| Hugo Ekitike | 3.04 | 1.6 (46%) | 1.9 |
| Darwin Nunez | 1.97 | 1.3 (44.1%) | 0.68 |
| Diogo Jota | 2.45 | 0.4 (35.5%) | 0.69 |
Ekitike remains a raw talent, but with potential for growth. If Liverpool can enhance his finishing—he underperformed his xG in the Bundesliga by 6.67—they could develop an all-around asset, provided they escalate their interest.
