Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike has welcomed the arrival of Alexander Isak with a warning, saying that manager Arne Slot will have a problem on his hands this season.
Ekitike, who joined from Eintracht Frankfurt for around £80million earlier this summer shortly after Newcastle was on the verge of securing him, has started strongly with three goals and an assist in four appearances. Meanwhile, Isak hasn’t played a club game in what feels like two years.
The young Frenchman’s place in the Liverpool squad
is now under threat after Liverpool secured Isak from Newcastle United in a British record £125m deal.
“When you play for the best teams, you expect to be competing with the best players,” Ekitike said. “Isak is a player I’ve watched too, so seeing him arrive is a pleasure. It’s going to be tough competition, but I’m going to focus on performing well so that it’s a problem for the manager.”
The 23-year-old acknowledged that the move has transformed expectations around him.
“It’s a big move and I’ve watched a thousand times more, but I’m taking it positively,” he said. “You have to show that you belong here and keep performing. It’s the position I wanted to be in, and it’s the position I want to keep.”
Former France international Florent Malouda weighed in, noting that Isak’s arrival will inevitably impact Ekitike’s development but insisted elite players adapt.
“You have to almost develop a toolbox,” Malouda said. “There’s always your favourite position, but in modern football, you also have the defensive part of the game. Hugo has this experience at PSG with a lot of stars, so he knows how to navigate a dressing room full of stars.”
Liverpool, who have spent more than £250m this summer, now have Isak, Ekitike, and Florian Wirtz among their attacking options as they defend their Premier League crown.
