Hugo Ekitiké is a promising French striker born in 2002. He came up through the youth system at Stade de Reims and made his first-team debut there. After a stint at PSG, he is now a regular starter for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Today, We will analyze him.
Hugo Ekitiké’s market value is estimated at €55 million according to Transfermarkt(as of april 2025)
Hugo Ekitiké Scouting Report
♦ Player Profile
Nationality : France
Date of Birth : 20 June 2002
Height : 190cm
Weight : 75kg
Possible Positions : Central Forward
Preferred Foot : Right
Youth Clubs :
Cormontreuil FC (2008~2013)
Stade de Reims (2013~2019)
Senior Career :
Stade de Reims B (2020~2021)
Stade de Reims (2020~2023)
Vejle Boldklub (2021) -Loan
Paris Saint-Germain FC (2022~2023) – Loan
Paris Saint-Germain FC (2023~2024)
Eintracht Frankfurt (2024) – Loan
Eintracht Frankfurt (2024~Present)
Hugo Ekitiké – 2024/25 Bundesliga Stats (As of April 2025)
| Season(League) | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Minutes Played |
| 2024-25(As of April 2025) | 27 | 13 | 4 | 2,050 |
Hugo Ekitiké : Strengths, Weaknesses & Playing Style Analysis
♦ Key Strengths :
Intelligent link-up play
Excellent off-the-ball movement
Agile dribbling despite his height
Creative in chance creation and build-up play
♣ Weakness :
Low goal conversion rate compared to xG
Struggles in aerial duels – has never exceeded a 45% success rate in any season
90-Minute stats comparison of seven players in the same position from the same league in the 24/25 season
♦ Development Path
Hugo Ekitike came up through the youth system at Stade de Reims, where he also made his professional debut.
In the 2021–22 season, he recorded 10 goals and 3 assists in 24 appearances, attracting transfer interest from several major clubs such as PSG, Chelsea, and Newcastle. Ultimately, he chose to join PSG but struggled to establish himself there, eventually making a move to Eintracht Frankfurt.
At the beginning of the 2024–25 season, Ekitike formed a highly effective partnership with Omar Marmoush up front for Frankfurt. Their impressive performances led to Marmoush earning a transfer to Manchester City.
Even after Marmoush’s departure, Ekitike has continued to perform well at Frankfurt, and as a result, he is once again being linked with several top clubs in need of a striker — including Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Juventus.
♠ Playing Style Analysis
Despite being a striker with an excellent physical profile — standing at 190 cm with impressive speed — Ekitiké possesses a rather uncommon playing style for someone with his attributes. Based on his physique alone, one might expect him to be a poacher-type forward like Patrik Schick in the league. However, despite his height, he’s not particularly dominant in aerial duels and doesn’t excel in clinical finishing. Instead, his strengths lie in dribbling and off-the-ball movement.
He often carries the ball from deep during counterattacks and enjoys operating in tight spaces, using his dribbling to create shooting or passing opportunities. His intelligent off-the-ball runs constantly trouble defenders, and he actively participates in high pressing and drops deep to link up play — traits that align well with the profile of a modern striker.
Moreover, Ekitiké has good vision and strong chance-creation ability. He frequently attempts clever one-touch passes inside the box and delivers precise passes timed to match a teammate’s run, showing excellent link-up play. In many ways, his style resembles that of Joshua Zirkzee, who impressed at Bologna before moving to Manchester United.
However, unlike Zirkzee, Ekitiké displays superior off-the-ball movement, making him a more dangerous threat to opposing defenders — especially in transition. He also performs better in aerial duels and has shown a stronger ability to score headers, giving him an edge in terms of overall striker effectiveness.
That said, one area he needs to improve is his finishing efficiency, particularly when comparing his goal tally to his xG (expected goals). While he creates many chances through smart movement and his ability to drive forward with the ball, his lack of composure in front of goal often stands out. Additionally, although he takes many shots from outside the box, they often lack power, which contributes to his lower conversion rate.
♣ Tactical Fit
Ekitiké showed his best form when playing as part of a two-striker system alongside a clinical finisher like Omar Marmoush, as seen during the 2024–25 season.
Although Ekitiké lacks elite finishing ability, his excellent off-the-ball movement disrupts opposing defenders. In counterattacking situations, either Marmoush would finish when defenders were drawn to Ekitiké, or Ekitiké would capitalize on the space created when defenders focused on Marmoush. This combination allowed Ekitiké to showcase his attacking strengths and played a major role in Frankfurt’s impressive run this season.
After Omar Marmoush’s transfer to Manchester City, Ekitiké has increasingly been deployed as a lone striker. While the overall attacking threat has slightly diminished, he has continued to score consistently, maintaining a solid level of performance.
♦ Future Outlook
Looking ahead, Ekitiké continues to impress as a leading figure in Frankfurt’s attack.
With the addition of promising goal-scorers like Elye Wahi and Can Uzun, it will be intriguing to see whether he can develop strong chemistry with them and help propel Frankfurt’s success.
That said, although many top clubs are reportedly monitoring him due to their urgent need for strikers, his lack of clinical finishing may raise concerns for clubs seeking a consistent goal scorer.
Another promising striker talent, Liam Delap