Liverpool eye repeat of Hugo Ekitike trick as Newcastle circle 33-goal striker

 Liverpool are no strangers to a transfer tug-of-war with Newcastle United, having spent last summer luring Hugo Ekitike from St James’ Park and securing Alexander Isak in a drawn out saga that rumbled on for weeks.

A new report from Portugal suggests the two clubs could be set for another battle over one of Europe’s most in‑form strikers.

SportBoom reported over the weekend that Sporting CP striker Luis Suarez was attracting interest from Liverpool. And no, it’s not THE Luis Suarez that is currently at Inter Miami. Their report claims Liverpool and Newcastle have each made exploratory moves, with the player said to be open to a Premier League switch provided a suitable offer arrives.

It’s claimed that Sporting is braced for summer offers and are expected to demand a significant fee, especially given the 28-year-old still has time left on his contract (running until 2030) and is viewed as a key asset.

Those initial claims have now been backed up in Portugal, with A Bola (via Sport Witness) effectively rubber‑stamping the claims by running their own piece on the story.

The Lisbon daily reiterates that the striker has 33 goals in all competitions and highlights his outstanding strike rate, underlining that he has found the net once every 85 minutes and is considered one of the most prolific marksmen in Europe this term.

They add that Liverpool and Newcastle are “in the front row” of interested clubs and suggest the Premier League duo could drive up the price if both decide to formalise their interest later in the window.

At home, he tops the Primeira Liga scoring charts with 22 league goasl. That strike rate is the best produced by any Colombian to feature in Portugal’s top division, bettering Radamel Falcao’s return of a goal every 101 minutes and Jackson Martínez’s mark of one every 152 minutes.