Wonderkid forward is now ready to join Liverpool | OneFootball

If you thought Liverpool’s season couldn’t take another turn for the worse, it just has.

Hugo Ekitike suffered a devastating Achilles rupture against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night. The injury is expected to sideline him not only for the remainder of this season, but also the World Cup and a significant portion of the next campaign.

Current projections suggest a recovery period of around nine months, a huge blow for both the player and Liverpool.

Of all the club’s new signings, Ekitike had adapted the quickest. He registered 23 goal contributions in his debut season, an impressive return given the team’s overall struggles.

In many respects, he has quickly emerged as one of the new faces of the club and a firm fan favourite.

Now, however, Liverpool must find a way to move forward without him. Arne Slot will be without one of his most influential attackers for the foreseeable future.

The question is, who can step up to fill that void?

Liverpool’s attacking depth is looking worryingly thin. Outside of Alexander Isak, there are few dependable options available.

Changes are also looming. Federico Chiesa is expected to move on this summer, while Mohamed Salah could be heading for the exit as well. Meanwhile, Jayden Danns remains a doubt due to ongoing injury problems, making it difficult for the club to rely on him over a sustained period.

Given that situation, Liverpool will need to turn elsewhere, and there is an obvious answer in Will Wright.

The 18-year-old wasn’t short on experience even before his move, having already featured at senior level for Salford City. Remarkably, he achieved that while still only 16, alongside scoring over 40 goals at academy level in the same season.

He had also been making waves in pre-season with Salford’s first team scoring several goals and underlining his potential before he even stepped foot on the hallowed Anfield turf.

Wright adapted quickly after arriving, too. He was handed a first-team opportunity in a pre-season clash against Athletic Bilbao on the day his transfer was confirmed and very nearly marked his debut with a goal.

That was a glimpse of what he could offer.