Liverpool fans deliver instant verdicts after analysing Hugo Ekitike debut footage
Liverpool fans aren’t overflowing with optimism after Hugo Ekitike’s “uncomfortable” first outing for Arne Slot’s side.
Ekitike is the latest big-money signing at Anfield as Liverpool’s summer of change continues, with the 23-year-old arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt in a £69million deal which could rise to £78m with add-ons.
Keith Wyness has told Football Insider that Ekitike’s value could rocket as high as £150m if his move to Liverpool proves to be a success, and Reds fans were given their a glimpse of the Frenchman on 30 July.
Liverpool had already spent big before Ekitike’s arrival took this summer’s outlay to almost £300m in total, with Jeremie Frimpong and record signing Florian Wirtz also making moves from the Bundesliga.
Ekitike fails to impress on Liverpool debut
The final makeup of Slot‘s squad is still to be decided as the clock ticks towards Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth, with all of their new signings sporting temporary squad numbers.
Ekitike donned number 54 as he started for the first time in the Reds’ latest friendly against Yokohama F. Marinos at Nissan Stadium on 30 July, but he was one of two players substituted after just 45 minutes.
Both Ekitike and Ryan Gravenberch were hooked at half-time by Slot to be replaced by Curtis Jones and Darwin Nunez respectively, and the Liverpool debutant failed to make much of an impact in front of goal.
An attempted back-heel towards goal being blocked was as good as things got for Ekitike in his first outing for the Reds, as Liverpool powered to a 3-1 comeback victory in the second-half without him.
‘Isak to play ahead of Ekitike’ – Liverpool fans fear the worst
Slot’s plans to overhaul his Liverpool frontline don’t end with Ekitike, as Liverpool weigh up the prospect of another record-breaking bid of up to £150m for Newcastle United’s want-away striker Alexander Isak.
Isak’s potential move to Newcastle could weigh on the future of Darwin Nunez after Luis Diaz completed his own move to Bayern Munich, but fans have spotted similarities between the Uruguayan and Ekitike.
Ekitike’s unsuccessfully-attempted back-heel was declared as a “Nunez gimmick” before his withdrawal at half-time, and another fans argued that his “uncomfortable” debut wasn’t helped by a poor pitch.
Other Liverpool fans questioned the logic of chasing Isak with Ekitike already in the building, but after the latter’s below-par debut, it’s clear the Swede would arrive as Slot’s instant first-choice at number nine.