🇫🇷 Early Life & Youth Development
- Born on 20 June 2002 in Reims, France, Ekitiké is of Cameroonian-French heritage. He began his youth career at Cormontreuil FC before joining Stade de Reims’ academy in 2013 (Wikipedia).
- He signed his first professional contract with Reims in July 2020 and made his Ligue 1 debut that October (Wikipedia).
🔄 Journey Through Clubs: Reims → Loans → PSG
- Between 2020–2023, he was part of Reims’ senior and B teams, moving on loan to Vejle Boldklub in Denmark in 2021, where he scored 3 goals in 11 appearances (Wikipedia).
- In 2022, he secured a loan to Paris Saint-Germain, helping the team win Ligue 1 and featuring in the Champions League before playing just one league game after PSG made the deal permanent in 2023 (Wikipedia).
🦅 Frankfurt Breakthrough & Rise
- In early 2024, Ekitiké joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan, which was converted to a permanent transfer by April (Wikipedia).
- He delivered his best Bundesliga season in 2024–25 with 15 goals in 33 league games, plus extras in cup and European competition—finishing with 22 goals across all competitions and earning a spot in the Bundesliga Team of the Season (Wikipedia, Liverpool FC, This Is Anfield).
- Analysts noted his revival in Germany, with strong contributions in progressive carries, creativity, and a key attacking role alongside teammate Omar Marmoush .
🔥 The Major Move: Liverpool Secures a Star
- In July 2025, Liverpool confirmed the signing of the 23-year-old striker on a six-year deal, reportedly for an initial £69 million (€80 million) plus up to £10 million in add-ons, potentially rising to £79 million (€91.5 million) .
- Frankfurt’s coach Dino Toppmöller called Ekitiké’s departure a “bitter loss”, highlighting his growing importance to the club .
- Liverpool brought him in as part of a broader summer overhaul that also saw the arrival of other big signings like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez .
🎯 International Prospects
- Internationally, Ekitiké has featured for France U20 (6 caps) and U21s, scoring 5 goals in 5 games for the latter by mid-2025 .
🏁 To Summarize
| Phase | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Reims / Youth | Early development and Ligue 1 debut in 2020 |
| Loans | Spells at Vejle and PSG with modest impact but key learning experience |
| Frankfurt Peak | 2024–25 season: 15 Bundesliga goals, 22 overall, and team‑of‑the‑season nod |
| Liverpool Transfer | Big-money move in summer 2025 (6-year contract, £69m + add-ons) |
