Arne Slot cautious after Hugo Ekitike’s right Achilles surgery, says many crucial steps remain | OneFootball

Arne Slot offered a cautious but reassuring update on Hugo Ekitike the day after the Liverpool forward underwent successful surgery on his ruptured right Achilles tendon, according to L'Équipe.

Ekitike suffered the injury in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against PSG on 14 April, a 0-2 defeat at Anfield. The 23-year-old was withdrawn around the half-hour.

Speaking on Friday ahead of Liverpool hosting Crystal Palace in the Premier League at 16:00, Slot described the operation as a simple yet important first step.

He urged caution over any timeline, stressing there are many crucial stages in such a long rehabilitation before anyone can say how many months it could take. He noted that these injuries usually require several months and that everything depends on the player’s recovery.

Ekitike is out for the rest of Liverpool’s season and will miss the World Cup with France, scheduled from 11 June to 19 July.

Slot added that Ekitike’s explosive playing profile is generally not ideal for this kind of injury, though he might prove an exception. He ended on an upbeat note, saying he believes the striker will come back stronger.

Source: L'Équipe