Liverpool Beat Newcastle to Hugo Ekitike as Transfer Saga AcceleratesAs the summer window intensifies, Liverpool have made a decisive move in the race for Hugo Ekitike, beating Newcastle United to

BBC Sports Editor Dan Roan has been talking about the situation regarding Hugo Ekitike, Newcastle United and Liverpool.

They add that Liverpool have even signalled to Frankfurt that they would be willing to pay their €100m (£86.6m) asking price, with an offer in that region now expected as the Bundesliga outfit target Franjo Ivanovic of Union Saint-Gilloise as his replacement and Ritsu Doan also arriving from Freiburg.

Liverpool have a solution in their sights for their striker problem. It's Hugo Ekitike. Talks are underway to bring the Frenchman to Merseyside and the club might not stop there. Now that Newcastle have withdrawn their interest, the Reds have a clean run at signing him.

Newcastle had wanted to partner Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike in attack, but have ended their interest in the Frenchman who now looks set to join Liverpool

The Reds are recruiting from a position of strength having secured the Premier League title last season but know they must spend big to acquire their long-term No.9. They have whittled their search down to two players: Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.

Newcastle want Ekitike. Liverpool want Isak. Is there a world in which selling one and bringing in the other makes sense for Eddie Howe?

Confidence is growing that Newcastle can quickly wrap up the signing of Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt after sending club officials to Germany to finalise the transfer, and with David Ornstein revealing how his arrival will impact the Magpies’ side,