How Hugo Ekitike Became Eintracht Frankfurt’s Star Forward
Hugo Ekitike has scored 19 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions this season

How Hugo Ekitike Became Eintracht Frankfurt’s Star Forward

Ekitike rise to stardom at Eintracht Frankfurt shows why Europe’s elite are circling

When Hugo Ekitike stepped onto the pitch at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Europa League quarter-final, it marked another high point in what’s been a breakout season for the French forward. But truth be told, Ekitike had already been turning heads well before his hat-trick against England’s Under-21s last March gave his name an extra splash of global recognition.

Now 22, Ekitike is not only the face of Eintracht Frankfurt’s attack—he’s fast becoming one of Europe’s most exciting forwards. With 19 goals and 8 assists in 40 appearances this season, the former PSG man is showing exactly why the Bundesliga outfit were willing to roll the dice on a player who, not long ago, was being written off as another talent who got lost in Paris.

From the sidelines at PSG to the spotlight in Frankfurt

Ekitike’s journey has hardly been a straight line. Back in 2022, he looked set to join Newcastle United, with the Premier League club eager to make a statement after their takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Newcastle came calling twice—first in January, then again in the summer—but both times, Ekitike opted to stay in France, ultimately choosing the bright lights of Paris over the project at St. James’ Park.

He joined Paris Saint-Germain on a loan deal with a buy option that eventually became permanent. On paper, it looked like a dream move: training alongside Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé, and lifting the Ligue 1 title in his debut season. But the dream quickly turned bittersweet. Even after Neymar and Messi left, Ekitike couldn’t find his way into Luis Enrique’s plans. He was left out of the Champions League squad and played just nine minutes in Ligue 1 before the turn of the year.

Cue a fresh start in Frankfurt.

A perfect fit: Ekitike’s rise at Eintracht

Ekitike scores for Frankfurt Hugo

Ekitike scores for Frankfurt Hugo

Eintracht Frankfurt saw in Ekitike what many others had forgotten—a player who, with the right coaching and system, could blossom into something special. The German club brought him in on loan in February 2024, and by April, they’d seen enough. The move was made permanent, costing Frankfurt €16.5 million—a figure that already looks like a bargain.

“He arrived as a boy and left a man,” said Jacob Schoop, Ekitike’s former teammate during a loan spell at Danish side Vejle in 2021. That short stint in Denmark was a crucial chapter in his development. Schoop remembers a joyful, energetic young player who was always dancing in the dressing room, always smiling—even during the tough training sessions. “The joy he had for playing was amazing to see,” he told

That joy never left Ekitike, even during his tough times in Paris. And now, it’s pouring out on the pitch in Frankfurt.

Replacing Marmoush and becoming the main man

How Ekitike became Eintracht's latest star forward

How Ekitike became Eintracht’s latest star forward

When top scorer Omar Marmoush was snapped up by Manchester City in January, many questioned how Frankfurt would fill the void. Ekitike answered emphatically. Initially deployed in a front two alongside Marmoush, he thrived with space to run and a partner to play off. But when Marmoush left, Ekitike had to adapt—and quickly.

Enter coach Dino Toppmöller.

Recognizing that Ekitike was at his best when he wasn’t isolated, Toppmöller adjusted the setup, placing Mario Götze behind him as a creative engine. It worked. With Götze pulling the strings, Ekitike evolved from a flashy prospect into a complete centre-forward. He began contributing more off the ball, pressing from the front, and using his body to link play. No longer just a scorer, he became a focal point.

“He’s making quick steps,” said Frankfurter Rundschau journalist Christopher Michel. “Now he can have a great game even if he doesn’t score. That’s the sign of maturity.”

The evolution of a natural talent

What sets Ekitike apart isn’t just his stats—it’s how he gets them. His ball control is sublime, his dribbling effortless. “His foot is like glue for the ball,” says Michel. “And he doesn’t care if it’s his left or right foot—he’ll shoot with both.”

That kind of ambidexterity, paired with confidence and composure, makes him a nightmare for defenders. Ekitike isn’t the finished article yet, but he’s showing the kind of form that gets top clubs reaching for their checkbooks.

Consistent goalscorers are the rarest commodity in football, and in Ekitike, Frankfurt may have landed a gem just before his value skyrockets.

Frankfurt’s model: buy, develop, sell

Eintracht Frankfurt know the game. For all their ambition, they understand their place in the food chain. As sporting director Markus Krösche has said, Frankfurt are not an “end club.” Their model is built around finding undervalued talent, developing it, and selling for a profit.

It’s not always popular with fans, who fall in love with players like Luka Jović, Randal Kolo Muani, and now Ekitike—only to see them leave. But it’s a system that works. Kolo Muani went to PSG for €75 million. Jović moved to Real Madrid for over €60 million. Marmoush joined City. And Ekitike? If he keeps this up, Frankfurt can expect a similar windfall.

“There is no alternative,” Michel says. “If a top 10 club comes in, Frankfurt has to sell. That’s the deal with the players, and Krösche has always honoured that.”

England calling?

So what comes next for Hugo Ekitike?

A return to France looks unlikely. PSG let him go, and his ambitions seem to lie elsewhere. A move to England, long rumoured and twice avoided, could finally materialize this summer. Newcastle could come back into the fold. Tottenham, his latest victims in the Europa League, are reportedly watching closely. So are West Ham, Aston Villa, and even Liverpool, who admire his versatility and technical ability.

Wherever he ends up, Ekitike now has what every young striker dreams of: momentum, form, and belief.

And most importantly, he has time. At just 22, the road ahead is long—and wide open.

Final thoughts: From Reims to the big stage

It’s easy to forget that just three years ago, Hugo Ekitike was playing for Reims in Ligue 1, a raw teenager learning his trade. Now, he’s Eintracht Frankfurt’s star forward, lighting up the Bundesliga and carving up European defenders for fun.

It’s been a journey built on resilience, talent, and the ability to seize every second chance thrown his way.

Eintracht may lose him soon. But in Ekitike, they’ve once again proven their eye for the next big thing. And as for the man himself? He’s only just getting started.

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