Hugo Ekitike, the French striker who recently joined Liverpool, has spoken about his thoughts on playing alongside Alexander Isak, who also made a high-profile move to the Merseyside club. Both players arrived at Anfield this summer, with Ekitike joining from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported fee of £69 million plus £10 million in add-ons. Isak, on the other hand, was signed for a British record £125 million.
Ekitike has welcomed the arrival of Isak, viewing the increased competition as a positive for his development. "I think it's good with players in such a big club," Ekitike said. "I can't see one big club playing with only one striker, so I think it's good that he's here. Even for me at my age, I think I still have a lot of things to improve and learn, so for me it's good that he's here". He insists that the challenge of competing for a starting berth is exciting.
The 23-year-old forward also expressed his belief that he and Isak can play together. "That's for the coach to decide how he wants to play. That's not me," Ekitike stated. "But obviously it's great players, I've been playing in two-striker composition, one-striker… so I can do a lot of things. If we have to play together, I can do that". He has played in two-striker formations before and is comfortable in different attacking setups.
Ekitike's arrival at Liverpool followed a successful season with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he scored 15 goals in 33 Bundesliga games and was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season. Prior to that, he had a spell at Paris Saint-Germain. Liverpool had been tracking Ekitike for some time, attracted by his versatility across the frontline. Ekitike himself has stated that joining Liverpool was the "best choice" for him, citing the club's great players and history as factors in his decision. He also rejected interest from other clubs, including Manchester United and Newcastle, to join the Reds. He felt that Liverpool was the right place for him to "get back to the top level".
Despite the potential competition with Isak, Ekitike has made a strong start to his Liverpool career, scoring five goals in eight appearances in all competitions. However, he was recently suspended for a game after being sent off for removing his shirt while celebrating a goal. Ekitike admitted that it "wasn't smart" and apologized to his teammates.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot will have a decision to make on how to best utilize Ekitike and Isak in the team. Both players are capable of playing as a central striker, and it remains to be seen whether Slot will opt to play them together or rotate them. Former Scotland international Ally McCoist believes that both players will get plenty of game time.
Ekitike is focused on performing well and contributing to the team's success. "The coach hasn't talked a lot about my way to play or where I need to play," Ekitike said. "He gave me a lot of freedom in terms of being able to link up with the boys or go behind. I can do a lot of things, he just wants me to bring my football in the team". He aims to be a player who has consistency.
