Hugo Ekitike might have spoken too soon when he reflected back in February:
âSometimes I sit at home and think, âWow, itâs been a year already.ââ
At the time, the 23-year-old forward had already gone from rising French prodigy to Paris Saint-Germain benchwarmerâovershadowed by the galactic trio of Messi, MbappĂ©, and Neymar. Fast forward to this summer, and Ekitike finds himself at the center of transfer tug-of-war, with Liverpool and Newcastle circling and the promise of a fresh start in the Premier League growing stronger.

đ Right Talent, Wrong Timing
Ekitike’s 2022 switch to PSG seemed like a leap too soon. While he gained invaluable experience training alongside the worldâs best, game time was scarce, and Luis Enriqueâs youthful rebuild left little room for the strikerâs flair. Now at Eintracht Frankfurt, Ekitike is proving his worth, becoming a standout example of Bundesliga clubs turning raw talent into elite performers.
đŽ Liverpool’s Bundesliga Blueprint
Liverpool have shifted their focus to Ekitike after hitting a wall in their pursuit of Alexander Isak. And it makes sense. Both are fast, fluid, and fearless on the ball, but Ekitike offers similar potential at a more affordable priceâand with room to grow.
Liverpoolâs sporting vision for a post-Salah attack is beginning to take shape. With Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, and recent Bundesliga standouts like Szoboszlai and KonatĂ©, the club is doubling down on the German top flight as a finishing school for top-tier talent.
đ Stats That Matter
Ekitike’s 2024/25 campaign was filled with energy and creativity. He scored 22 goals (15 in the Bundesliga), fired 3.74 shots per 90 minutes, and delivered 1.49 shots on targetâranking among the top five across Europe in those categories. Even though he underperformed his xG by over 6, his movement and chance creation suggest he could explode under the right coaching.
His 0.29 expected assists per 90 would place him among the Premier Leagueâs top 10 creators last seasonâremarkably ahead of every Liverpool player except Salah.
✠Still a Work in Progress
Despite the promise, Ekitikeâs game isnât flawless. Eintracht manager Dino Toppmöller recently critiqued the strikerâs flair for unnecessary tricks: