‘Hold your horses’ – Sky reporter advises Liverpool fans to ‘calm down’ over one potential signing

Liverpool fans have been reliably advised to ‘calm down’ regarding the progress of one prospective transfer which has been at the forefront of the rumour mill in recent days.

On Thursday, French journalist Fabrice Hawkins claimed that the Reds have reached an agreement with Hugo Ekitike over a six-year contract, with the Eintracht Frankfurt striker very keen on a move to Anfield.

Liverpool Echo reporter Ian Doyle has indicated that the two clubs are now in negotiations, with the Premier League champions being given the go-ahead to speak with the player.

The various updates over the past 48 hours suggest that Liverpool have hit the turbo in their pursuit of the 23-year-old, although one reputable broadcaster has advised supporters not to expect a deal to happen overly quickly.

Sky reporter: Liverpool won’t complete Ekitike deal imminently

Speaking on The Transfer Show on Sky Sports, journalist Mark McAdam said that Ekitike to Anfield is ‘not close at the moment’.

He added: “This is one of the things you find, reporting about transfers now is becoming such a difficult job because there’s so much noise on social media. If you were to believe everything, you’d think the deal to Liverpool is done and dusted.

“Hold your horses, Liverpool fans. Calm down, it’s progressing but it’s not happening at any pace, and Liverpool are comfortable with that at the moment.

“There are talks between Liverpool and Frankfurt over the signing of Hugo Ekitike. Sky Sports News understands there’s been no offer at this stage. The package that’s being discussed is around £75m.

“The key thing Liverpool have on their side is that Ekitike wants to join them; he’s made that quite clear privately. Personal terms are not going to be a problem for the player, so that part is progressing nicely.”

Ekitike deal could take time but Liverpool should get it done

Although the pursuit of Ekitike has seemed to accelerate in recent days, a transfer of this scale is always likely to take time to materialise. For comparison, it took several steadly rising offers from the Reds to get the deal for Florian Wirtz over the line last month.

We can probably expect something similar with the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, with the firm possibility of FSG submitting a few bids before eventually getting to a point where the Bundesliga club are amenable to a sale.

The transfer window will remain open for another six weeks, and the 23-year-old only has eyes for Liverpool, so that gives Richard Hughes some breathing space to work towards a deal being completed. It’s not as though we’ll need to conjure a serious charm offensive or be left scrambling to beat the clock.

One thing which might instil a sense of urgency is the uncertainty over Luis Diaz’s future, with the Colombian reportedly informing Anfield chiefs of his desire to join Bayern Munich. Should that move happen, LFC might then be eager to get Ekitike through the door quickly, so that Arne Slot isn’t left scrambling for attacking options once the season starts in a month’s time.

Patience may be a virtue as the Premier League champions continue their pursuit of the Frenchman, who we’re confident will be a Liverpool player by the end of August!

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