Can Hugo Ekitike solve Liverpool’s striker dilemma?

“Liverpool may have won the Premier League title last season, but there were signs of struggle in many matches due to misfiring forwards and an over-reliance on ageing players.

While Darwin Núñez arrived at Anfield three years ago amid great excitement and a massive transfer fee, he has been unable to justify the huge investment. Despite Núñez and an injury-prone Diogo Jota having been underwhelming, the Reds were carried to the title largely by the brilliance of their wingers Mohamed Salah, Luis Díaz, and Cody Gakpo. The trio displayed exceptional form, managing the bulk of the scoring responsibility among them. Salah, in particular, had a stellar campaign, securing both the Premier League Golden Boot and the Playmaker awards, underlining his importance to the team.

Ahead of next season, head coach Arne Slot wanted to address the major gaps in the squad. Their situation was further worsened by the unfortunate demise of Diogo Jota.

And Liverpool have now added a striker in the form of young Frenchman Hugo Ekitike to their ranks. The 23-year-old has joined from Eintracht Frankfurt on a six-year deal for £69 million plus £10 million in add-ons.

With the striker market being virtually skint, there were only a few decent options to choose from. With the massive transfer fee involved, however, questions have been raised regarding Ekitike’s quality, and whether the price tag is justified. 

Here, we look at Hugo Ekitike’s footballing journey so far and how he could fit into the current Liverpool line-up. 

Footballing journey so far

Ekitike began his career with French club Stade de Reims. He initially played for their reserves team, but impressive performances led to a promotion to the senior team in 2020. In the first season, he only made two appearances, but the next season turned out to be a breakthrough season for the Frenchman, as he played 24 games, scoring 10 goals and bagging three assists.

These performances alerted other clubs, and Ekitike was soon snapped up by Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the 2022/23 season, during which he won the Ligue 1 title and also played in the Champions League, contributing three goals and four assists in 25 appearances. Having initially brought him in on loan, PSG made his move permanent and sent him out on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt midway through the 2023/24 season, a move which the Bundesliga club made permanent in April.

Ekitike went on to have a stellar 2024/25 season at Frankfurt, scoring 15 goals and getting eight assists in 35 league games. As a result, Premier League clubs like Newcastle United, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool started showing an interest, and in the end he decided to join Anfield.

Also read: Premier League 2024/25: Top 10 strikers

How Ekitike could fit in Liverpool’s first XI?

Ekitike could be viewed as a dynamic centre-forward, one capable of both drifting in from the left and playing centrally. He isn’t a traditional striker — to be found only near the opposition penalty box — and has great work rate and tracks back, with great dribbling skills to take on opposition defenders. The Frenchman’s goal-scoring arsenal includes headers, proficiency with either foot, and even long-rangers.

If we look at Arne Slot’s setup from last season, the Dutchman preferred a 4-3-3 setup, with midfielder Ryan Gravenberch staying in a deep-lying position ahead of the defensive line to provide cover and stability, and Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai having the freedom to go forward. With Darwin Núñez not performing in front of goal, and Diogo Jota away from the pitch due to injury, Luis Díaz would play in the centre-forward role, with Cody Gakpo and Mo Salah providing the width on the flanks.

This summer, Liverpool have added Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong to their ranks. With Wirtz expected to get the No. 10 role all to himself, Ekitike could be played as the centre-forward in a 4-2-3-1 setup, with midfielders Gravenberch and Mac Allister in a double pivot behind Wirtz, and Díaz and Salah flanking him. However, this setup could prove to be a bit too attack-heavy, one lacking balance, and opposition teams could take advantage of the gaps in the back line when the fullbacks move up the pitch during attacking phases.

Alternatively, Liverpool could also play Wirtz on the left wing and Szoboszlai as a No. 10 behind Ekitike, hence adding some defensive solidity into the mix, as the Hungarian could provide cover on the right side for Salah and Frimpong — like he did for Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold last season. And if Liverpool were to play with the more defensively adept Conor Bradley at right-back, they could make the aforementioned 4-3-3 work more often.

Another important point to keep in mind is that Ekitike’s role at Frankfurt included the burden of supporting his teammates with creating goals, but with creative geniuses like Wirtz and Salah at Liverpool, he could play as a forward without having to worry too much about creation. His ability to link up play and create chances could then prove to be an added bonus for the Reds.

Conclusion

While it’s too early to call whether he would be an utter success or failure at Liverpool, Hugo Ekitike has not been roped in by the club solely based on his performances in one season at Eintracht Frankfurt; it’s the potential the Reds rate very highly.

While there could be concerns about his conversion rate, there is a good reason behind why it was low. For the first half of last season, Ekitike was playing alongside Omar Marmoush, who was converting chances at a canter and remained high in the Bundesliga scoring charts towards the end of the season, despite leaving for Manchester City in January. It was at this point Ekitike’s responsibilities increased as Frankfurt’s primary attacking outlet, and he duly delivered.

With the creative prowess Liverpool boast, getting chances is unlikely to be a problem for the young Frenchman, who will be allowed to focus first and foremost on providing the finishing touches. 

There’s no doubt that Liverpool have landed a gifted young forward — one who has the potential to become a real game changer. Rival teams and fans will certainly be keeping a close eye on Hugo Ekitike in the upcoming season.