Manager says striker’s long-term absence justifies Liverpool’s approach of signing two No 9s last summer
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has described Hugo Ekitike’s Achilles injury as “devastating” but is confident the striker can return stronger after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Ekitike was forced off after 31 minutes during Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. The club later confirmed the 23-year-old has suffered a serious Achilles injury that will rule him out of this summer’s World Cup and is expected to keep him sidelined for up to nine months.
“He hasn’t been operated on yet,” Slot said. “It is devastating for him, coming to a new club and having such an impact straight away. Your first thoughts are always with him, being out for such a long time and missing out on so many special moments.
“He is not the first and he will not be last player who will experience something like this at the start of his career and there are so many examples of players that have come back even stronger.
“That’s the challenge he has now and I’m 100 per cent sure in 10-15 years he will maybe even say this injury helped me become even stronger and even more ready to perform at an even higher level than before.”
Ekitike’s absence increases the burden on fellow summer signing Alexander Isak, who has endured an inconsistent campaign following his £125m move from Newcastle United. The Sweden international only recently returned from a broken fibula and made his first start in four months against PSG.
“First of all, it is a good thing we have signed two No 9s because there were a lot of people who were debating why we signed two No 9s,” Slot said.
“We thought maybe it’s a smart idea not to be the only club in the world that has only one No 9 and that’s why we signed two and now all of a sudden that looks good and now people are maybe questioning if we should sign another No 9.
“Someone said to me the day after [PSG] you cannot write the script that on the day Alex is back after four months the other one leaves the pitch with a long term injury but it is a good thing Alex is back now even more, although it wouldn’t be the first game I have to play without a particular type in a particular position.
“I have had many games this season where I didn’t have a right full-back available, for example. It is nice to have Alex back but we also know he is not ready to play 90 yet.”
Slot said it was “very important” for Isak to regain full fitness quickly ahead of Liverpool’s upcoming clash with Everton, though he insisted the squad has alternative options in attack.
“Very important, although there are also other players that can fill in that position,” said Slot. “Those players have played in different positions throughout their lives. Cody [Gakpo] did really well when he came in in the second half [against PSG]. Of course it is important it is important, but you don’t get it like that.
“The best thing was that Hugo was still fit, but if he wasn’t, two or three weeks later would have been better because Alex is not ready for 90 yet – depending on the intensity of the game because you never know how a game is going to pan out.
“He is getting closer and closer. Now, we need him, but there are different options to play as a No 9, as well. Federico Chiesa is one of them. There are different options but it is definitely good to have Alex back now that Hugo is injured.”
