A fresh report has revealed how a Zoom call between Liverpool boss Arne Slot and incoming striker Hugo Ekitike helped convince the Eintracht Frankfurt forward to swap Germany for England in a big-money summer switch.

Liverpool are set to continue their summer spending spree by completing the signing of Hugo Ekitike. However, the Premier League champions could lose Luis Diaz as Bayern Munich are expected to return with an improved bid after seeing an opening offer rejected last week.

Liverpool are completing a move for Hugo Ekitike after they agreed a deal worth up to £79 million ($106m) with Eintracht Frankfurt, sources told ESPN.

Liverpool famously vetoed the £53m signing of Nabil Fekir from Lyon back in June 2018 after becoming aware of a knee issue, once the Frenchman had carried out his medical. Therefore, if something similar occurs during Ekitike’s medical check, those at Anfield could well send him back to Frankfurt.

Liverpool are said to have reacted to Newcastle shutting the door on Isak talks by launching a bid for Ekitike, and Fabrizio Romano reports on Thursday morning that they are now ahead of the Magpies in the race to sign the French forward. The Reds expect to sign Ekitike if all hopes of an Isak deal end.

Liverpool is closing in on a deal to sign Hugo Ekitike and if the Reds' track record in the transfer market over the last 10 years is anything to go by, he will probably be a roaring success

Ekitike’s former youth coach Jean-Philippe, AKA ‘Nano’, spoke with GOAL in 2021 and explained some of the qualities he exuded as a young boy, which have continued into his playing career as an adult.