Hugo Ekitike - From Paris Setback To Anfield Redemption

By  Tahmid Habib

The history of Liverpool Football Club is littered with players who took the scenic route to Anfield. Players who’ve stumbled before they soared, who needed to prove themselves elsewhere before earning their place among the Kop's immortals. And stepping into this tradition of redemption arcs, lo and behold Hugo Ekitike.

Born on 20 June 2002 in Reims, France, to a Cameroonian father and French mother, Ekitike's journey began at Cormontreuil FC before Stade de Reims welcomed him into their academy in 2013. Seven years later the 18-year-old signed his first professional contract making his senior debut in a 3-1 defeat to Lorient. After a loan spell at Danish side Vejle Boldklub, he returned to Reims for the 21/22 season and announced himself as one of French football's most exciting prospects, scoring twice off the bench against Nantes in a 3-1 victory.

Credits : The Mirror

That January, clubs came calling, but Ekitike turned them down. Six months later, Paris Saint Germain came knocking, and the 20-year-old couldn't refuse the chance to play alongside Mbappé, Neymar, and Messi.

The reality proved far more complicated than the dream. Despite making 32 appearances in his first season, scoring four goals and winning a Ligue 1 title, Ekitike found himself increasingly marginalised in a squad overflowing with attacking talent. By September 2023, he was excluded from the Champions League squad entirely. He had become a footnote in someone else's fairytale, and at just 21 years old, his career appeared to be at a crossroads.

On 1st February 2024, German side Eintracht Frankfurt offered Ekitike a lifeline with a loan deal. An opportunity he grabbed with both hands. After scoring his first goal against FC Augsburg on 19 April, Frankfurt triggered the buy option for €16.5 million. The very next day, he scored against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, a thunderous strike from outside the box that announced his arrival in the Bundesliga with sheer authority.

The 2024/25 season was nothing short of sensational. Ekitike scored 15 goals in 33 league appearances, helping Frankfurt finish third and secure Champions League qualification. He struck a memorable long-range effort in the Europa League quarter-final against Tottenham and was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season, recording the league's highest combined expected goals and assists. Alongside Omar Marmoush, he formed a devastating partnership that made Frankfurt one of
the Bundesliga's most entertaining sides.

Clubs across Europe were queuing up for Hugo’s signature. But Ekitike had his eyes on one team only. On 23rd July 2025, Liverpool confirmed his arrival for up to £69 million. His debut couldn't have been scripted any better, scoring in the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, then marking his Premier League bow with a goal in a 4-2 victory over Bournemouth.

Clubs across Europe were queuing up for Hugo’s signature. But Ekitike had his eyes on one team only. On 23rd July 2025, Liverpool confirmed his arrival for up to £69 million. His debut couldn't have been scripted any better, scoring in the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, then marking his Premier League bow with a goal in a 4-2 victory over Bournemouth.

At 6ft 3ins but blessed with the acceleration of a player half a foot shorter, Ekitike possesses a rare combination of physical attributes. His intelligent movement around the penalty area, drifting onto defenders' blindsides before accelerating away at the crucial moment, makes him a constant threat.
His ball carrying is exceptional, using close control to travel at defences before shifting back inside onto his favoured right foot.

Credits : @This Is Anfield

The arrival of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for £125 million raised inevitable questions about how Liverpool would accommodate both the elite centre-forwards. The answer lies in versatility. Arne Slot has multiple options: a 4-2-2-2 formation seeing both lead the line together, echoing Ekitike's successful partnership with Marmoush at Frankfurt, or deploying Ekitike as a left winger in a 4-2-3-1, allowing him to drift infield and interchange positions with Isak throughout matches. Both possess the intelligence and work rate Slot demands, and both can complement each other beautifully.

The story of Hugo Ekitike's career so far is one of resilience in the face of setbacks, of character when confronted with crisis, and of a young man willing to take the harder road to reach his destination. At just 23, he's already experienced the highs of playing for a European super club and the lows of being cast aside. After the Paris detour and the Frankfurt redemption, he's finally at a club where his history can be written in gold letters. The pen is in his hands, the stage is set, and this time, nobody can write him out of the story.