Hugo Ekitike: How French striker has already become a cult hero at Liverpool
As Hugo Ekitike walked up to the praise of the Anfield fans and took his place on the bench last Saturday, Alexander Isak caressed his Liverpool teammate’s hair from behind. A finisher knows a finisher.
Isak’s chance will surely come again, but with the record £125m signing sidelined with a broken leg, all he can do is watch and admire his fellow striker. There’s a lot to admire so far.
It’s testament to how Ekitike has adapted to life in the Premier League that no one is saying Liverpool are missing Sweden international Isak or urgently need him to return.
The numbers alone are impressive: 15 goals and 4 assists in all competitions since his £79 million move from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer.
When the 23-year-old scored in the FA Cup last month, he became the second Liverpool player, alongside Kenny Dalglish, to score in five different competitions in his first season. Talk about a good company.
But beyond the numbers, there is a dynamic striker who has serious pace, reads the game intelligently, can connect well and, above all, finish.
In recent weeks Ekitike has been compared to Fernando Torres, one of the best finishers Liverpool have had in the 21st century, and has received high praise from Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney.
Shearer described Ekitike’s second goal against Newcastle as “world class”, while Rooney said the French player was “one of the best, if not the best, signings in the Premier League” this season.
Manchester United’s record goalscorer added on his podcast: “He’s the kind of player I love to watch. He’s not a number nine, he’s not a number 10. He gets out from outside, gets on the ball, gets players involved and can score goals. He’s got a bit of everything really.” added Manchester United’s record goalscorer on his podcast.
What makes Ekitike so impressive is the variety of scenarios he excels at thanks to his broad skill set. He sparked controversy when his goal against Newcastle was finished off with an unconventional toe-tap, but it’s a tool he deliberately keeps in his locker.
Ekitike also scored in the behind-the-scenes training video in July. On both goals, his shooting foot barely swings back, preventing the goalkeepers from knowing what kind of shot he was going to take.
Combined with the unconventional nature of his attack, he is able to catch opponents off guard more often with these goals and has been compared to legendary Brazilian striker Romario, who is famous for his toe pokes.
