Bundesliga
Once a fringe player for Paris Saint-Germain, Hugo Ekitiké has blossomed into one of Europe's most exciting forwards at Eintracht Frankfurt. bundesliga.com profiles the France U21 international...
Stats correct as of 10 May 2025
Age: 22 (born 20 June 2002)
Club: Eintracht Frankfurt
Position: Striker
Country: France (five U21 caps, five goals)
Key stats
Having initially joined Frankfurt on loan, scoring four times in 14 Bundesliga games during the second half of 2023/24, Ekitiké has produced career-best numbers in 2024/25, with 15 top-flight goals, four in the UEFA Europa League and three in the DFB Cup. He's also chimed in with 11 assists, including seven in the league to put him in the top six for total goal contributions.
It's quite the return from a player who previously registered single-season double figures just once before, at Reims (10 goals in 24 2021/22 Ligue 1 games), and was restricted to 33 largely cameo outings in PSG colours (four goals). He also has the experience of a relegation dogfight in Denmark, scoring three goals in eight play-off games to help keep Vejle up at the end of 2020/21.
Ekitike's managed to replicate his club form with Frankfurt in a France U21 shirt. He's scored five times in as many appearances, notably hitting a hat-trick in a friendly win over England in March 2025, and will undoubtedly be one to watch at this summer's UEFA U21 Euros in Slovakia.
Plays a bit like: Thierry Henry
Ekitiké can be clinical in front of goal, but he's also a real workhorse. Physical and agile, he's known for his willingness to press from the front and is a real nuisance when dropping deep to receive possession. With his silky touch, slick movement and penchant for cutting in off the left-hand flank thrown into the mix, comparisons with a young Thierry Henry are not that wide of the mark.
Did you know?
As Frankfurt's official X (formerly Twitter) channel teased before his transfer was confirmed, Ekitiké's surname is a palindrome. That is, it reads the same backwards as forwards!
What they're saying
"Hugo is a player with extraordinary qualities, he's exceptional. We have full faith in him." - Frankfurt head coach Dino Toppmöller
"We are very happy with Hugo's development. He fits in really well with us and has made great progress in just one year. He already has an exceptional scoring rate and has the potential to become one of Europe's best strikers." - Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krösche
"There is something very special about him. He's a young man with a lot of quality but also a lot to improve on, but he works hard in training." - Óscar García, Ekitiké's former Reims coach