Ekitike is reportedly expected to be the No. 9 for Liverpool, despite previously playing as a second striker or left winger.
With the help of the entire TNT Sports network, let’s find out a little more about Ekitike.
‘The perfect centre-forward’
For most fans in the UK, Ekitike shot to prominence in the Europa League knockouts when Frankfurt were drawn against Tottenham Hotspur. In the first leg of the tie in London, Ekitike made a statement with a fantastic goal coming in off the left.
Ekitike nets ‘absolute beauty’ to put Spurs behind inside six minutes
Video credit: TNT Sports
Speaking before the game that night, TNT Sports expert Owen Hargreaves was full of praise for Ekitike.
The former Bayern Munich, Manchester United and England midfielder said: “He’s a goalscorer, he can get into these positions, he can finish with both feet; to be honest with you, he’s got the lot. You look at the career [Alexander] Isak’s had, he’s in that same category.”
Standing next to him was another former England midfielder (and manager) Glenn Hoddle, who echoed Hargreaves’ sentiment when asked if he thought Ekitike was special.
“I think he is. I tell you what he does, he plays with no fear,” Hoddle said. “He’s got pace, he’s got a little bit of everything there, he’s going to be the next one who goes for a massive profit. He looks like he could go right to the top this kid.”
Hargreaves compares Ekitike to Isak, says PL teams ‘crazy’ not to sign him
Video credit: TNT Sports
Speaking ahead of the return leg in Germany, Hargreaves doubled down.
“Technically, he’s very good. His link-up play is really good, he’s a good finisher, he’s got everything. He looks like the perfect centre-forward.”
These sentiments are shared by Tom Mueller of Eurosport Germany, who has watched Ekitike’s development carefully since his arrival in Frankfurt in February 2024.
“He has all the tools for a modern striker,” Mueller said. “He’s tall, very fast, good dribbling, a good finisher. He worked perfectly as a counter striker beside [Omar] Marmoush in the first part of the season last year.
“But he stepped in as a creator as well in the second part of the season, producing 12 assists last season overall. The numbers don’t lie: 40 goal contributions in 64 games for Frankfurt is pretty impressive and he has been their offensive key point, especially in the last part of the season.”
Hugo Ekitike celebrates victory after the Bundesliga match between Sport-Club Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt at Europa-Park Stadion on May 17, 2025 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
Image credit: Getty Images
“People in France were perhaps quite surprised to see the price as many people don’t watch Bundesliga so often here so complicated to judge his season. But he has always been seen as a natural talent, with something different. He has a very rare profile and can become a big, big name.”
Liverpool’s Isak with the potential of Henry
Even early on during the summer transfer window it was clear that Liverpool were going to try and sign a striker. Of the names linked, Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak was the one that most came up.
As we saw from Hargreaves, the comparison to Isak is clear; it is one Mueller agrees with too.
“Yeah, Isak of course, since this seems to be the profile Liverpool is looking for. But I think Isak is a better finisher in front of goal.”
The numbers back this up too. Our friends at Opta produced a radar graphic showing similar players to Ekitike. Look at the first radar that appears: the similarities to Isak are eerie.
Playres similar to Hugo Ekitike
Image credit: Opta
Here are their side by side numbers for the season just gone; again, they are quite similar.
Domestic League Stats 2024-25Hugo EkitikeAlexander IsakMinutes Played25782769Goals1523Expected Goals21.5820.42Shot Conversion 12.82%23.2%Assists86Chances Created4442Dribbles Success Rate41.27%43.8%Shot Ending Carries4424All Progressive Carries182145
The goal against Tottenham in particular drew some other comparisons, notably to a former French forward who also played in red in the Premier League…
Here is former Spurs striker Les Ferdinand on TNT Sports before that return leg in Germany between Frankfurt and Spurs:
“Coming in off that left side he reminds me a bit of Thierry Henry. Whenever he comes off that side he’s looking to bend it into the far corner.
“He’s one of those young players in Europe that I look at and think this young fella is going to go on to major things.”
“If you ask me to compare him with someone in the top shelf, maybe a bit similar to Thierry Henry? That would be name that comes to my mind.”
Areas to improve on
Of course, there are areas to improve on. In some of the tables and quotes above it is clear there is a bit of a concern around Ekitike’s finishing. The expected goals vs actual goals comparison speaks volumes, as do the shot conversion numbers.
“Sometimes the finish just has not been there,” admits Meuller. “Other times it was great. Maybe a little bit too streaky for a club like Liverpool, where you have to deliver every three days on the biggest stage.
“I do think for his development one more year in Germany would have been better, like Wirtz did after the great season with Leverkusen in the 2023/24 campaign.”
Morin admits he is also unsure whether Ekitike is ready for a club like Liverpool. After all, it did not work out too well for Ekitike the last time he was at a big club, when PSG signed him from Stade de Reims. Faced with the prospect of trying to beat out the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe for game time, he struggled.
Lionel Messi #30 of Paris Saint-Germain is congratulated by Hugo Ekitike #44 of Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappé #7 of Paris Saint-Germain as they celebrate the team’s victory at the final whistle
Image credit: Getty Images
In an exclusive interview with TNT Sports in December 2024 Ekitike admiited that “at the time, I didn’t see things like that [how great a chance PSG was to learn off elite players] because I wanted to play.
“But it’s only now, after spending a lot of time at home reflecting on what happened, that I’ve realised that I’ve been lucky enough to be in a place where no one else has been.
“I’m always on a quest to learn. I have a thirst for learning. I realised that at the end of the day, I’d maybe spent a year, a year and a half watching the best players in the world go through their paces in training and even in matches. Sometimes up close, sometimes a little further away.
“Everything moves fast in football, you’re there (hand up) then you’re there (hand down) very quickly. What I’m trying to show today is that I’m constantly progressing, that it’s linear and that I’m continuing to climb.
“I was young and I climbed quickly, even though I had a lot of things to learn and store up, but that’s how it happened.
“I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, it’s not easy. But I’m still here. I think I’ve got a good head and I’m continuing to work to be the best I can be.”
One other area that might have been concerning for some fans is that Ekitike is already 23 and is yet to play a game for the French national team. It is worth pointing out the sheer depth of elite talent that France manager Didier Deschamps can call upon in that area, though, but Morin says there might be another reason he is yet to win a senior cap.
“With Deschamps, you can’t really play a role until you play for a big team/a Champions League team. Look at Olise: at Crystal Palace, he was never called by DD. Then, he moved to Bayern Munich. One year later, he’s a key part of the French team. So same story for Ekitike. He wasn’t really a talking point to be honest when French selections arrive. Maybe now…”
Before the game against Spurs in London, this is the last thing that Hargreaves said about Ekitike:
“Premier League teams would be crazy not to sign him up, because he’s going to be a future star.”
The risk is there, but after watching the way Liverpool manager Arne Slot developed players in his first season at Anfield, the club must be convinced that the Dutchman is the right person to unlock the talent within Ekitike. And it seems like all the tools are there.
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