Liverpool played a long recruitment in the long game, and the boy, now looks like he is paying it off.
12 months ago, rival supporters undoubtedly sneered at the lack of transfer activity for the Reds, and Anfield side saw the great Jurgen Klopp being replaced by Arne Slot – only expected to explode with Federico Chiesa’s intrusion.
A new manager usually calls for a massive overhaul, but the Dutch only tweaked and patched the already talented team on the first attempt, eventually turning an already talented team to Premier League glory.
Now, a quiet 2024 window has looked like it has brought a bigger dividend to the huge champion, already selling £187 million in five signings this summer, while more high-profile deals could potentially buy financially safe clothing in stores.
Recent reports suggest that Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi is expected to travel to Anfield, while Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak remains a dream goal for people in Merseyside.
However, whether “dreams” become a reality is anyone’s guess, but alternatives for Swedes are still being considered.
Latest information on Liverpool transfer transactions
They said they wanted to strengthen on it, which seemed to be exactly what Richard Hughes and Co was planning, and reported that it was a man’s Isak, which could be a £120 million move.
Hipies insists that the former real social striker won’t be sold, but why Liverpool keeps its choice open, speculation even hints about Manchester United’s interest in Manchester United, Marcus Rashford.
However, admiration for the British is unlikely to develop further, but if Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, that man was lined up just in case Isak could not be cherished from St James Park.
As David Ornstein of Track and Field reveals, the Reds approached the 23-year-old’s potential move with the Bundesliga side, in an interest parallel to Isak.
Further reports were subsequently conducted in France, which showed that Ekitike even met personal terms at the club after signing a six-year contract with Merseyside.
The suggestion is that although Newcastle’s competitors hunted him down, he just wanted to join Slot.
|
ISAK in Sociedad (21/22) with Ekitike (24/25) in Frankfurt (24/25) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (*every match) |
isak (laliga) |
ekitike (Bundesliga) |
|
Game (start) |
32 (26) |
33 (31) |
|
Target |
6 |
15 |
|
Each goal |
359 minutes |
172 minutes |
|
Missed a big opportunity |
11 |
16 |
|
Assist |
2 |
8 |
|
Created great opportunities |
7 |
12 |
|
Key Pass* |
0.6 |
1.3 |
|
Successful dribble* |
1.4 |
1.6 |
|
Win the finals* |
42% |
41% |
|
Statistics via Sofascore |
||
A price of around 80 million euros (£70 million) has been proposed. Watch this space.
Why Ekitike may have shadows of Coutinho
It’s no secret that Isak is the person Liverpool wants, because if a deal is to be reached for the former French U21 international company, there might be a feeling like a second option.
However, the Frankfurters’ moves are likely to be more future-oriented, but there is no immediate rush to push him into Anfield’s starting lineup, especially with the slot already having the championship forward line.
In all the games last season, Ekitike can gradually integrate into the team in 2025/26, and before it really explodes in the next few years, Ekitike can slowly integrate into the team. According to analyst Ben Mattinson, it already looks like “one of the best forwards there” without telling him what heights he can reach.
Well, in many ways, such a deal could evoke memories of the young Philippe Coutinho who bought in January 2013, Liverpool allocated £8.5m to sign the then-year-old, from Inter Milan, a rival interest from Southampton.
Like Ekitike – he scored just four goals in a tough game with Paris Saint-Germain – Coutinho didn’t fully flourish during his time in Italy, with only 47 appearances and only five in San Siro in total.
This is a loan conversion from January 2012 to Espanyol and seems to revitalize the Vasco de Gama youth product as he scored five times in just 16 games in Spain. Meanwhile, Ekitike joined Frankfurt’s initial loan 18 months ago, earning four in just 14 league games in the end of 2023/24.
Like Coutinho, Ekitike seems to have escaped the bright lights of elite clubs like PSG, although that’s not to say he can’t flourish for the second time by joining another European giant in Liverpool.
Particularly prominent according to Scout Jacek Kulig’s “world-class” talent, his tremendous ability is his ability to be with his batting, registered eight assists in the Bundesliga last time and created 12 “big opportunities” in the Germans’ games. For comparison, only Mohamed Salah provided more league assists at Anfield (18).
The blend of creativity and quality in front of goals was also evident in Coutinho’s fruitful game for the Reds, scoring 54 goals and 44 assists in 201 games before he pulled out of Barcelona with £142 million.
The couple can also operate in the center or left channel – while also their ball ability, while Ekitike ranks in the top 4% of the top five leagues in Europe with progressive attacks and successful attacks per 90.
The player will successfully take over when he or she keeps possession by directly defeating them.
For Coutinho, who was in the top 1% of midfielders in the same or two indicators in his last season in the Premier League, and the top 4% of midfielders, was awarded the gift for his ease and ease of passing opponents.
Led by Brendan Rodgers, the Brazilian organizer ended up being an exciting young prospect, eventually becoming the club’s central figure in the following years, when there was a chance to join Florian Wirtz with Ekitike, and Ekitike had the opportunity to enjoy similar advancements when Salah’s influence finally began to fade away.
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