Liverpool: Ekitike makes Frankfurt return with reputation rising | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt has been a hotbed for striking talent across the last decade. The Bundesliga side have built a reputation for unearthing and nurturing goalscorers.

In the last six years alone, Frankfurt have made £300m profit from selling forwards, often to Europe’s elite teams. Not all have flourished as expected after leaving The Waldstadion, but the latest, Hugo Ekitike, has certainly made an impressive start.

After just 18 months in Germany, Ekitike departed Frankfurt as a £69m footballer. The Frenchman had been signed from the fringes of the Paris Saint-Germain first team, where his route to a regular role was blocked by superstar signings.

In the Bundesliga, Ekitike was given the chance he craved. An initial six-month loan saw the striker net four times in 14 league games, enough to convince Frankfurt that a €16.5m (£14.3m) fee was a sound investment. It proved to be the case.

Last season, Ekitike exploded. He scored 22 goals in all competitions and recorded 15 goals and eight assists in the Bundesliga alone. The youngster had more shots and created more open-play chances than any other forward in the league, while only three U-23 players were involved in more goals across Europe. A place in the Bundesliga Team of the Season was an acknowledgement of his achievements.

Though there were reservations over his shot selection – his xG underperformance (-7.55) was the biggest in the Bundesliga – there was enough shown to alert Europe’s top teams to his promise.

A strange summer saw Ekitike involved in a transfer tug-of-war between Newcastle United and Liverpool, dubbed the heir or alternative to Alexander Isak. Incredibly, it transpired that Ekitike and Isak would sign for Liverpool, and the chatter now is that the former should start ahead of the British record recruit.

Ekitike has enjoyed an impressive start on Merseyside. A goal just four minutes into the Community Shield got him up and running, before the forward marked his Premier League debut with another goal. He’s scored five times in 11 appearances for the Reds and broken into a France squad stacked with attacking talent.

While others around him have floundered in recent weeks, Ekitike has remained a positive for Arne Slot’s side. After consecutive Premier League games on the bench, however, it’s time to return to the team. More than the goals, Ekitike has offered Liverpool unpredictability.

A side that last season leaned heavily on Mohamed Salah now has an alternative willing to take responsibility. His schooling at Paris Saint-Germain, alongside Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, has shown Ekitike what it takes to be a superstar. He’s not been overawed by joining a dressing room of Premier League winners. Instead, he’s embraced it.

When he makes his first return to Frankfurt in the Champions League tonight, he’ll walk out tasked with turning around Liverpool’s slump in form. It’s a challenge he’s likely to relish. Facing him, Frankfurt will be proud of their role in his rise. The ceiling of which is not yet clear.

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