Arne Slot gave an intriguing response when asked about how he viewed Hugo Ekitike’s role in the Liverpool team with the possibility of Alexander Isak also joining the club. Ekitike made the move to Anfield from Eintracht Frankfurt last month and made the perfect start to life in a red shirt by scoring within four minutes of his competitive debut against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield.
Ekitike played in the middle of a front three that also included Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah, with Florian Wirtz sitting in behind. But with Liverpool still linked with a move for Isak, Slot gave an interesting breakdown on how he sees Ekitike fitting into his system and how the arrival of the Newcastle frontman could impact him.
How Slot Views Ekitike at Liverpool
Speaking with Sky Sports, Slot was asked whether he purely saw Ekitike as a number nine who could make runs through the middle, with it being noted that the Reds are clearly still in the market for another player in this position given their public pursuit of Isak. In response, the Dutchman broke down exactly how he viewed the 23-year-old and inferred that he could play in more than one position.
There has been no movement as of yet in Liverpool’s interest in Isak since they saw a £110 million bid for the Swede turned down by Newcastle. Since then, the striker has been adamant he will never play for Newcastle again and has even moved out of his home in the city in an attempt to force through a move.
What is certain, though, is that Isak will not be part of the Liverpool squad that will welcome Bournemouth to Anfield on Friday to kick off the new Premier League season. However, in Ekitike, they seem to at least have an option to lead the line who will be keen to impress regardless of how the next few weeks pan out.