What Lionel Messi used to say about Hugo Ekitike at PSG should excite Liverpool fans immensely

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Liverpool are closing in on the signing of Hugo Ekitike.

TBR Football understand Liverpool have already agreed personal terms with Ekitike – and have now made a £70m bid to Eintracht Frankfurt for the Frenchman.

It is believed the Bundesliga outfit want closer to €90m (£78m) for the man born in Reims, but negotiations with Richard Hughes – Director of Football at Anfield – are ongoing.

Hugo Ekitike is a relatively unknown quantity to most Premier League fans – having exclusively played in France and Germany at the age of 23, as well as a loan spell in Denmark with Vejle Boldklub – but Lionel Messi had a nickname for the Liverpool target at PSG which gives a strong indication about the type of striker he really is.

Lionel Messi used to call Hugo Ekitike the “iron rod” at PSG

Ekitike left the Parc des Princes for Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2024 after just 18 months and 12 starts in Ligue 1 for PSG – ultimately failing to dislodge Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Messi from the attack.

However, the France U23 international still made a strong impression on the latter in training.

L’Equipe stated back in 2022 that Messi took a liking to Ekitike in Paris, nicknaming his teammate the “iron rod” due to his lanky frame, but surprisingly rapid turn of pace.

The French news outlet add that the Argentina international also acted as a mentor for the Reims academy graduate.

That should excite Liverpool fans for two reasons.

Firstly, Arne Slot doesn’t really have a tall, but also technical, striker in his squad like Ekitike, so the “iron rod” would be a unique addition to Liverpool – Darwin Nunez is a towering frontman, but arguably lacks the technical ability to make it count.

Nunez also looks set to leave Liverpool this summer, so even if the Uruguay international does refine his skills, it seemingly won’t happen at Anfield.

Furthermore, the fact a player as esteemed as Messi saw ability in Ekitike, and wanted to help him fulfil his vast potential, suggests Liverpool are on the right tracks, and could be about to sign a £78m diamond.

Liverpool target can boast an incredible football education

While Ekitike – who once named Manchester United as his dream club – only made 12 starts in Ligue 1 for PSG, training with the likes of Messi, Mbappe and Neymar on a daily basis surely did wonders for his development.

The Liverpool target even admitted he has absorbed aspects of Mbappe’s game into his own, saying: “What Mbappe did with his call and counter‑call movements really struck me. Seeing that made me want to reach that level.”

If a move to Anfield does materialise, where Ekitike can work alongside other elite talents such as Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz, he could become an even better forward.