Liverpool signed the NEXT Fernando Torres | OneFootball

His armband proved he was a red.... that's how it all started for Fernando Torres and Liverpool.

It was the Spaniard's destiny. El Nino was always supposed to be the darling of the Kop. Torres came in and gave all of us a glimmer of hope amid the barren darkness of the worst of Hicks and Gillet.

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He was a cultural phenomenon, too. The long locks with blonde highlights, his long-sleeved adidas shirt - it became a fashion statement.

Young Liverpool fans around the world grew up idolising Liverpool's no.9. Torres revolutionised the position in the modern era. He was both quick, direct, capable of drifting out wide but he was also a phenomenal finisher and thrived at linking up with his teammates.

When he left for Chelsea and shattered all our hearts into a million pieces, we never thought we'd see a player like him.

And the truth is we haven't. We've had great strikers like Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino.

But none of them were quite like Torres. Not until now.

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This summer, Richard Hughes always wanted to sign Alexander Isak. But he was not the only forward he signed.

Hugo Ekitike also arrived and he was pretty much destined to sign for the Reds. We wrote about why we thought he was the perfect fit for Slot's side back in February.

It just felt like he was made to be a Liverpool player. That was his fate - just as it was Torres' fate.

Why Hugo Ekitike is Fernando Torres

And the comparisons do not end there. Just take a look at his most recent goal against Everton. The run into the box, the exquisite first touch and then the lethal finish.

This was a goal Torres could have easily scored in his prime. It was quintessential Torres.

He was the one who popularised those runs into the box and who Steven Gerrard or Xabi Alonso absolutely loved finding.

Like Torres, Ekitike is quick but he's not just about speed. He is calm and measured and controlled.

He can score from any range. Whether that's a run into the box or a long-range strike like the one he netted against Newcastle or Crystal Palace.

Importantly, like Torres, he's also off to a brilliant start. He scored in all three of his first three games for Liverpool. He's the first to do that since Daniel Sturridge.

Now he's got four goals and one assist in his first six games. He's averaging a goal or assist 0.95 per 90 minutes, which is an incredible return.

© IMAGO - Hugo Ekitike Liverpool