Hugo Ekitike has declared his readiness to compete with Alexander Isak at Liverpool as the Reds aim for success in the 2025-26 season.
Isak completed a record-breaking £125 million transfer, plus £5 million in add-ons, from Newcastle United on deadline day, ending his three-year stint at St. James’ Park.
Ekitike, who joined earlier in the summer from Stuttgart in a £79 million deal, £69 million upfront and £10 million in add-ons has already made a mark, scoring three Premier League goals. He is set to share goalscoring duties with Isak and is relishing the challenge.
“When you play for the best teams, you inevitably expect to be competing with the best players. Isak is a player I used to watch, so seeing him arrive is a pleasure. It’s going to be tough competition, but I’m going to work hard to be good and perform well so that it’s just the coach’s problem,” Ekitike said.
The French striker made his senior debut for France on Friday against Ukraine, coming on with ten minutes left. Eligible to represent Cameroon through his father, he previously played for France at youth level.
The 23-year-old is expected to keep his place when Liverpool face Burnley on Sunday, with Isak lacking match sharpness after going on strike at Newcastle to push through his move.
Liverpool’s summer has been busy, with big-money arrivals including Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, costing a combined £320m. They also added Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi, and Giovanni Leoni.
This transfer activity saw the club spend £446m overall, the most ever by a Premier League club in a single window surpassing Chelsea’s £434.5m outlay in 2023.
