Ekitike is a bargain for Liverpool

Once forgotten at PSG, Hugo Ekitike is proving his true worth at Liverpool thanks to valuable lessons from Messi, Neymar and Mbappé.

Once a “reserve boy” at PSG, Hugo Ekitike is now becoming a bright spot at Liverpool. He brings with him lessons from Messi, Neymar and Mbappe, along with a desire to assert himself at Anfield.

Ekitike among the giants

Ekitike did not have a noisy football childhood. He did not grow up in a famous training center, did not rise by lightning goals. But Ekitike lived in a world of giants. When he was at PSG, he trained every day with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. He did not play much, but he observed. And he learned.

“From Messi, I learned to see things earlier,” Ekitike said. “Neymar taught me how to control the ball and handle it well. Mbappe helped me understand the running without the ball. I learned a lot from them.”

That statement was not only a respect, but also an admission that he was behind. Ekitike knew he could not be a copy of those three legends. But he could use every detail, every habit, every look to perfect himself.

At Liverpool, Ekitike is on that path. He has scored six goals in 15 games. He was once sent off for taking off his shirt to celebrate a goal in the League Cup. Coach Arne Slot called it “stupid”, but Ekitike just laughed: “Now I remember to keep my shirt.” He understands that Slot is helping him grow.

“He always pushes me. If the coach doesn’t say anything, it’s bad. He wants me to do better, and I understand that’s good,” Ekitike said.

Ekitike is settling in quickly at Liverpool.

Ekitike doesn’t have the look of a star. He’s hardworking, quiet and a learner. The French striker doesn’t complain when he has to play on the wing, doesn’t complain when he is substituted early. The former PSG player just wants to move forward, step by step. And those steps are bringing him back into the fight for the No. 9 position at Liverpool.

His direct rival was Alexander Isak, the club's record signing. But Isak was injured, and Ekitike was given the chance to start. He knew well that every game now was an exam.

“I can play with Isak,” he said. “We’ll learn to find each other.” It was a short sentence, but it captured the spirit of what Slot wanted: to play for the team, not for himself.

Opportunity for Ekitike to assert

Ekitike has Manchester City in front of him, with Erling Haaland at the other end of the pitch. “He is one of the best strikers in the world,” Ekitike admits. “Haaland can make a difference without touching the ball much. I learn a lot from watching him.”

The statement is like a mirror image: Haaland is the model of a modern striker, few touches, but always effective. Ekitike is learning to get closer to that model.

Ekitike is Liverpool's hope.

Ekitike’s journey has never been easy. From Reims to Denmark in search of opportunities, then back to France, then to Germany, and now to England. Each move has been a start over. But Ekitike has not lost faith. Mbappe, who once considered him a younger brother, congratulated him when Liverpool beat Real Madrid.

“He saw me suffer at PSG, so he is happy that things are better now,” Ekitike said.

Now, standing at Anfield, he is no longer a young reserve player in someone else's spotlight. He is Liverpool's striker, learning to mature with the lessons of three legends.

Messi taught him vision. Neymar taught him emotion. Mbappe taught him speed and desire. Arne Slot is teaching him tenacity. And Ekitike is teaching Liverpool something they have forgotten: talent comes not just from instinct, but from humility and the will to learn.

Source: https://znews.vn/ekitike-la-mon-hoi-cua-liverpool-post1601192.html