Is Liverpool rich enough to outbid Manchester United? A sky-high transfer fee plus exorbitant annual salary to sign a non-French national team forward.

The fundamental reason Manchester United has struggled to revive itself in recent years is poor recruitment and inflated salaries, leading to many overpaid underperformers in the squad, making them hard to sell. Last season, Liverpool clinched the Premier League title, bringing their total to 20, which equals Manchester United's record. In the past, it was about suffering while watching Liverpool, but this summer window, it's about wealth and how Liverpool is spending it. With a series of high-profile signings, they are now looking to pay a sky-high transfer fee plus exorbitant annual salary to bring in forward Ékitike, who isn't even a French national team player. Well-known Premier League commentator and Liverpool fan Zhan Jun has expressed skepticism about this signing.

According to the latest news from Florian Plettenberg, a reporter from Sky Germany, if all goes as planned, Ékitike is set to undergo a medical with Liverpool on July 22, after which both parties will sign a six-year contract until 2031. Upon joining Liverpool, Ékitike will earn a pre-tax annual salary of up to €15 million. The transfer fee for this deal is €90 million plus €5 million in performance-related bonuses.

At just 23 years old, Ékitike has only had one good season at Frankfurt, with 48 appearances across all competitions, scoring 22 goals and providing 12 assists, which isn't particularly impressive. He is a tall, slender attacker who has yet to be called up to the French national team, having only made five appearances for the U21s. Whether Ékitike can adapt to the Premier League remains uncertain; if he fails to perform, such a high-paying six-year contract could become a liability. Liverpool's decision to pay a sky-high transfer fee plus exorbitant annual salary for Ékitike reflects Manchester United's recent trend of poor recruitment. What are your thoughts on this?