Why Liverpool's statement striker signing could prevent this Thomas Frank reunion

Liverpool's move for Hugo Ekitike could impact Spurs' pursuit of Yoane Wissa.
There may be no Brentford reunions for Thomas Frank this summer after all.
There may be no Brentford reunions for Thomas Frank this summer after all. | Gaspafotos/MB Media/GettyImages

Liverpool's statement move for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike could prevent Thomas Frank from reuniting with Yoane Wissa at Tottenham.

The Premier League champions have embarked on an aggressive summer window after an inactive 2024. The Reds have already signed Florian Wirtz for a club-record fee, while rejuvenating both full-back positions via the additions of Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

Now, they look set to add one of the most highly-regarded strikers to their arsenal. The Athletic reports that Liverpool are "advancing" in talks to sign Ekitike from Frankfurt off the back of an impressive season in the Bundesliga.

The 23-year-old Frenchman was courted by several clubs this summer, including Newcastle, and Liverpool's push for the striker means the Magpies are poised to pivot to a reported Spurs target.


Spurs could miss out on Yoane Wissa due to Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike move

Yoane Wissa
Newcastle are now interested in Yoane Wissa. | Shaun Botterill/GettyImages

Frank is said to be keen on reuniting with Wissa in N17 after the Brentford striker scored 19 times in the Premier League last season. However, Spurs would surely have to let one frontline attacker depart in order to bring him in, with Richarlison the most likely to move on.

The presence of Dominic Solanke means Wissa wouldn't be first-choice if he wants to join, but the striker's familiarity with the new boss does rationalise our reported interest.

However, Liverpool have made the ultimate power play over Newcastle, which could lead to Wissa joining the Magpies. They essentially told the Geordies that if you don't give us Alexander Isak, we'll take your number one striker target off your hands.

While it looks like Isak's staying put for now, Newcastle are in need of a Callum Wilson replacement.

The Athletic understands that their interest in Ekitike has now cooled, with Wissa their main target. However, they're yet to discuss the move with both Brentford and the player. Alex Crook (via Hotspur Related on X) reports that the striker would prefer to reunite with Frank at Spurs rather than join Newcastle.

Nottingham Forest have already had a bid rejected by the Bees for the 28-year-old, with Frank's former club hoping to receive up to £40m for his services this summer. They also don't want to lose Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo, so the former's future will depend on whether Manchester United can strike an agreement with the latter.

Admittedly, I'm not going to lose sleep over missing out on Wissa, but I'd dread to be a United supporter if the worst-case scenario comes to pass. A proper centre-forward will bolster rivals Liverpool, sparking a chain of events which leads to them missing out on Mbeumo.