"I've always admired them" - Hugo Ekitike's comments about Manchester United resurface amid recent transfer rumors

Manchester United rumored target Hugo Ekitike had previously admitted that the Red Devils were his favorite club while growing up. The Eintracht Frankfurt striker also said that he has always admired United.

In an interview in December 2024, Ekitike revealed his favorite club from his formative years. He told German broadcaster RTL (via GOAL):

"My favourite club as a child was Manchester United. I've always admired them."

Ekitike is one of the strikers linked with a move to United as the search for a fresh striker is ongoing at Old Trafford this summer. There are also rumors that Rasmus Hojlund could make way for the emergence of a fresh number nine.

Ekitike is a centre-forward who could score goals and create opportunities for others to score. The Frenchman also has a unique dribbling capacity, something that arguably most finishers lack. At age 22, he could develop into one of the best strikers in the world if he remains consistent. He could also be a decent long-term investment for the Red Devils if he joins Ruben Amorim's side.

Last season, Ekitike delivered 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances across competitions for the Bundesliga side. While he remains contracted at Frankfurt till June 2029, United are reportedly the only club that has made direct contact with the Frenchman.

"A centre-forward with experience" - Rio Ferdinand on what Manchester United need

Day 1 - Champions Festival - UEFA Champions League Final 2025 - Source: Getty

Rio Ferdinand has asserted that the Red Devils need a striker with experience in the ongoing summer window. He also claimed that Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have struggled as United's target men.

In a discussion with Mirror Sport, the former Red Devils centre-back revealed (via GOAL):

"[Man United need] a centre-forward with experience. That's it. I think United can go and get a lot of players and get loads of stuff. But I think it's been evident that Hojlund came in for huge money and hasn't hit the ground running, has struggled really. Zirkzee hasn't done much better than him, really."

He added:

"So, I think you need someone in all the good teams you see. They normally have at least one of the attacking players, normally the number nine. And you go, actually, yeah, I can pin my hat on him. I can rely on him."

Manchester United have been linked with several centre-forwards this summer, and signing a fresh striker could help solve their goalscoring challenges.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Aditya Singh