Darwin Nunez showed Liverpool manager Arne Slot that he still has plenty left to offer by scoring a hat-trick in a secret pre-season friendly against Stoke City on Sunday. Liverpool welcomed the Championship side to the AXA Training Centre as they continued the preparations for their Premier League title defence.

It was previously reported early in the week that Newcastle United had seen an €80m (£69.5m) offer rejected by Eintracht Frankfurt for Hugo Ekitike. I would have been more than happy for United to have signed the 23 year old as second striker to Alexander Isak,

CLUBS are splashing the cash this summer as they look to bolster their squads in the transfer window ahead of the new season! Newcastle’s Saudi owners will refuse to sell Alexander

As Hugo Ekitike edges closer to joining Liverpool, Arne Slot has already been cautioned about the young French striker with the Dutchman warned to tread carefully

Hugo-Ekitike-©FrancfortHugo-Ekitike-©FrancfortThe comeback is real for Hugo Ekitike. After a standout season with Eintracht Frankfurt

Newcastle may have been strangely boosted by Liverpool closing in on Ekitike despite their own interest amid an assumption the Reds would then not move for their supposed dream No.9 Alexander Isak, but the Sweden international’s absence from the Magpies’ 4-0 friendly defeat to Celtic on Saturday raised eyebrows.

Liverpool, who have already signed Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez to bolster a Premier League title-winning squad, are expected to wrap up a deal for the France U21 international after an outline of an agreement was reached with the Bundesliga outfit.