Liverpool’s summer of 2025 was one for the record books. With a jaw-dropping £125 million spent to bring Alexander Isak to Anfield, the Swedish striker instantly became the most expensive player in British football history and the fourth-most expensive of all time. The transfer, orchestrated by sporting director Richard Hughes and head coach Arne Slot, was the culmination of months of pursuit, with Isak even going on strike to force a move from Newcastle United. Finally arriving on deadline day, expectations were sky-high for the 26-year-old to lead Liverpool’s attack into a new era.
Yet, as autumn rolls in, the story at Anfield has taken a twist few could have predicted. Isak, still catching up on match fitness, has yet to find the net in his first four Premier League appearances for the Reds. The pressure is mounting—not just from fans, but from the shadow cast by another big-money summer signing: Hugo Ekitike.
Ekitike, the 23-year-old French forward, arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt for £69 million in the same window. Before Isak’s arrival was finalized, it was Ekitike who led the line, and he wasted no time making an impression. Scoring three goals in his first five Premier League games and adding further strikes in the Community Shield and the EFL Cup, he quickly became the only instant hit of Liverpool’s staggering £446 million summer transfer spree. His winner in the Merseyside derby and a crucial goal against Southampton in the Carabao Cup had fans dreaming of a new attacking partnership at Anfield.
But Ekitike’s momentum was abruptly checked. In the EFL Cup clash with Southampton, after scoring the decisive goal, he was sent off for removing his shirt in celebration—having already been booked for punching the ball away in frustration. The red card, which Ekitike later admitted was "stupid," resulted in a one-match suspension that carried over to the Premier League, sidelining him for Liverpool’s trip to Crystal Palace. "The emotion got the better of me. My apologies to all the Red family. Thanks to the fans who always support us and to my team-mates for this victory!" Ekitike wrote on social media, showing humility and gratitude despite the setback.
Manager Arne Slot didn’t mince words in his post-match comments. "It was stupid, not smart in every sense. The good thing is that his team-mates helped him to get the win over the line, but the thing is he is now suspended for Saturday and that is far from ideal," Slot told reporters. The absence of Ekitike was immediately felt. Liverpool suffered a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, the first in a string of four consecutive losses that included defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United. Each time, Ekitike was either suspended or relegated to the bench, while Isak, still searching for sharpness, struggled to make an impact up front.
Club insider James Pearce summed up the mood among supporters, stating, "Hugo Ekitike has been harshly consigned to bench duty to accommodate Isak, but his introduction against United instantly provided the kind of dynamism and directness that had been lacking with the misfiring Swede leading the line." Against Manchester United, Ekitike’s cameo off the bench injected much-needed energy, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide for Liverpool.
So why has Ekitike found himself on the fringes despite his early-season heroics? The answer lies in Arne Slot’s tactical preferences. The Dutch manager has favored a 4-3-3 system with a single central striker, making it difficult to accommodate both Isak and Ekitike in the starting lineup. The two have yet to start together at Liverpool, even though both have experience playing in a front two—Isak with Viktor Gykokes at Arsenal and Ekitike with Omar Marmoush at Frankfurt. European football broadcaster Andy Brassell weighed in: "Ekitike is intelligent and adaptable enough for it to work. But if you go back to the beginning of his emergence in professional football, when he was at Rennes, the notable thing about him is not just that he can lead the line at such an early age. He shows up in the big games, he scores goals in the big games."
Ekitike’s journey to Anfield has been anything but straightforward. After breaking through at Reims, he endured a tough spell at Paris Saint-Germain, struggling for minutes behind superstars like Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé. "He may not have played, but he got to really study under three of the best forward players of that or any other generation and to train with them all the time. It was something that he said he had to be a real student," Brassell explained. The Frenchman’s time at PSG was marked by limited opportunities—just three Ligue 1 goals in 25 appearances—and a lack of mentorship from the club’s biggest names. "When you hear Ekitike talking about his spell at PSG, it sounds a little bit like that. He said, 'Well, the thing was with Neymar and Messi, they weren't particularly helpful with young players. They just did their thing, and you just had to watch them.'"
After a brief and challenging stint at Eintracht Frankfurt, where he took two months to score his first goal, Ekitike arrived at Liverpool with a point to prove. His early form in England suggests he has learned from his setbacks. Brassell noted, "He manages to deal with that and develop into this sort of complete centre forward. Then at Liverpool, where he gets this public rap across the knuckles from Arne Slot. Slot's smart enough to know, 'Right, okay, this is what he responds to, basically.'"
Despite the current frustrations, Ekitike has shown remarkable resilience and maturity. He remains upbeat about the competition Isak brings. Ahead of a Champions League reunion with his former club Frankfurt, Ekitike said, "The arrival of Isak will help me develop." It’s a sign of his willingness to embrace challenges and keep pushing for a starting role, even as he faces adversity.
Interestingly, Ekitike’s career could have taken a very different path. He turned down approaches from Newcastle United on multiple occasions, opting instead for PSG and, eventually, Liverpool. This decision, once questioned, now seems to have forged a player with both the hunger and experience to thrive at the highest level.
As Liverpool prepares for a crucial Champions League fixture and looks to halt their losing streak, the debate over who should lead the line—Isak or Ekitike—continues to rage among fans and pundits alike. What’s clear is that both players bring unique qualities, and the competition between them could yet prove vital to Liverpool’s ambitions this season.
For now, all eyes are on Arne Slot and how he manages his two high-profile forwards. Will he stick with his preferred system, or find a way to unleash both Isak and Ekitike together? One thing’s for sure: with so much talent at his disposal, the Liverpool boss faces a selection headache that most managers would envy.
The action is far from over on Merseyside, and as the season unfolds, the story of Ekitike and Isak at Liverpool promises plenty more drama and intrigue.
