Liverpool’s recruitment drive has been relentless this summer and Hugo Ekitiké is the latest high-profile name to arrive on Merseyside.
The Reds have splashed the cash on the former Eintracht Frankfurt star, finally sealing the deal for their new long-term No.9. After a phenomenal 2024–25 season in Germany in which he scored 22 times and laid on 12 assists, the 23-year-old has been gifted the ultimate reward.
The bulk of those at Anfield will be delighted with the addition of the highly-rated French forward, but not all those of a Liverpool persuasion will be thrilled by Ekitiké’s transfer.
Here are the winners and losers from Ekitiké’s pricey switch.
Winner: Florian Wirtz
One of the reasons Florian Wirtz chose Liverpool is undoubtedly the calibre of his new clubmates. The £116 million German is already one of the world’s best midfielders and is joining a star-studded squad laced with superstars. Well, another exceptional talent has followed him to Anfield.
The attacking midfielder will hugely benefit from operating in behind an orthodox striker like Ekitiké, with Wirtz thriving in support of both Victor Boniface and Patrik Schick during recent times at Leverkusen. He’s a terrific goalscorer but an even better creator, using his agility and exquisite technical ability to unlock even the sternest of opposition defences.
Having a traditional No.9 in front of him capable of occupying centre backs and stretching defences will undoubtedly help Wirtz flourish in his preferred pockets of space in and around the penalty area. Supplying someone capable of putting the ball in the back of the net consistently will also boost his attacking numbers during a high-pressure debut season with the Reds.
Loser: Darwin Núñez
Darwin Núñez is unquestionably the biggest loser from the signing of Ekitiké. The misfiring Uruguayan has long been expected to leave the Reds this summer after three seasons of inconsistency—his worst campaign coming under Slot last term—but he’s been pushed even closer to the exit door by Liverpool’s latest piece of business.
Núñez was strongly linked with a move to Napoli but since the Italian champions pulled out of a deal, his future looks increasingly uncertain. AC Milan are said to be in the mix for his signature, while the Saudi Pro League remains a possible destination.
Regardless, Ekitiké’s arrival spells the end of Núñez’s Anfield adventure, with the 26-year-old having ultimately failed to make good on his potential despite fleeting glimpses of promise. There was hope that the Núñez experiment would come good, but the Reds will instead have to accept defeat as they look to recoup some crucial funds.
Winner: Arne Slot
The fact that Arne Slot was able to clinch the Premier League title in his debut season without a 25-goal centre forward largely comes down to the attacking brilliance of Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian scored 29 goals and produced 18 assists in the competition last term and will be certain to contribute a similarly impressive tally in 2025–26.
However, Liverpool can’t rely on Salah forever. The Reds are fortunate that the 33-year-old is injury-proof but sooner or later they are going to have to cope without him. It would be nice for Slot to be able to rest the winger next season without fearing a major shortage of goals in his absence.
Ekitiké certainly makes Slot’s Liverpool less predictable in that regard. Goals coming from more areas of the pitch can only be a positive thing, with the French forward and his new clubmate Wirtz offering two more consistent routes to the back of the net.
If Slot can get Ekitiké firing quickly, Liverpool’s attack could well prove unstoppable.
Loser: Alexander Isak
Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak was brief. The Reds were quickly warned off the Swede by Newcastle, who made it abundantly clear that they had no intention of selling their star striker. Whether he would have been interested in making the switch to Merseyside is unknown, but that opportunity is now off the table for this summer.
Newcastle qualified for the Champions League last season and beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final to prove they belong at the top table, but the opportunity to join one of the world’s biggest sides and England’s most successful club doesn’t come around very often.
Isak, at least for the time being, will have to accept that a move to Merseyside is no longer on the cards.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Winners and Losers From Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike Transfer.
