Liverpool face Newcastle United this weekend after signing Hugo Ekitike from under the noses of their opponents in the summer
Hugo Ekitike almost joined Newcastle(Image: Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Newcastle United fans could be forgiven for wondering what might have been when Hugo Ekitike takes to the pitch for Liverpool against them on Saturday night. The 23-year-old has been a standout buy for the Reds and has scored 13 goals already this season.
However, he is likely to receive a colourful reception from the travelling fans at Anfield after he almost joined the Magpies before penning a deal with Liverpool. Eddie Howe and co. worked hard last summer to bring in new players and probably thought they’d secured Ekitike’s signature before Arne Slot’s side swooped in from under their noses.
In a quite brutal turn of events, Liverpool would then sign Alexander Isak as well, taking what could have been Newcastle’s first-choice strike partnership for the following season all in one fell swoop. Ahead of the match against Newcastle, Ekitike was asked about the potential reception from the away end on Saturday.
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“I don’t care. I play for Liverpool, I have my fans here, we played there (Newcastle) already and won so hopefully we will have a great week of working. I don’t care about this, I just want to play and help the team. It is simple,” he said.
Ekitike joined Liverpool alongside the likes of German superstar Florian Wirtz (middle)(Image: Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
“Obviously we were close [to signing for Newcastle] but I made my choice. I knew where I wanted to come, so that’s all I can give to you. Liverpool fans’ support means a lot. I play for the fans, they give me so much energy.
“Sometimes in games when I haven’t scored you hear your name from the crowd and it’s a great feeling. It was what I was dreaming of as a kid and it made me live that so I’m grateful and I want to give more to them to make them happy. We have the quality, I really believe things will go well.”
Nevertheless, Ekitike was very close to joining Newcastle, as agent Ali Barat would later reveal. He told TuttoSport: “Hugo Ekitike. I was working on behalf of Eintracht Frankfurt to bring him to Newcastle. I stayed in Germany for 10 days. We agreed everything with the German club and the player, then Liverpool called him and he chose Anfield.”
Ekitike has been superb throughout the season(Image: Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Speaking about Ekitike before Liverpool swooped, Howe said: “I think there’s no doubting that I really like Hugo and have done for a number of years. He’s someone that we’ve tracked for a long time.”
After netting for Liverpool against Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday night, Ekitike, who’s been compared to Fernando Torres by some fans, drew praise from Reds legend Steven Gerrard.
“I love this kid [Ekitike], I think he’s just gonna get better and better, what a signing he’s been so far,” said the iconic number eight. “The main positive is these two [Ekitike and Wirtz]… the timing of the pass and the finish, they’re growing and evolving and that connection, they’re on the same wavelength.”