Following his £79million move from Eintracht Frankfurt, Ekitike has wasted no time in adapting to the Premier League. He has already netted three goals in five appearances, surprising even Liverpool fans with how quickly he has made an impact. His form is so good that star signing Alexander Isak has struggled to break into the team ahead of him, having completed his switch from Newcastle on transfer deadline day.
It has been a dream start for the French international, who only turned 23 in the summer. Ekitike has formed an instant bond with his Reds team-mates, including Salah, who was recently ranked fourth in the Ballon d’Or standings. Ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Chelsea on Saturday evening, Arne Slot’s new forward sat down with BBC Sport to discuss his life in football, his rise to the top, and how he is settling in on Merseyside.
Ekitike sat down for a long chat about his journey in the sport, and he was quizzed on his feeling after finally getting the move to Liverpool over the line. His response was: “The first feeling was that I was proud. To come here when I know where I come from. I know football is just moments – you can be at the top and go down straight. I set my mind to always be ready, work hard, improve myself and bring success to the team and help the maximum way I can to reach trophies and wins.
“Becoming a good player is the biggest turning point in my life. That was the first moment in my life that I have known failure. It was probably half-time and it set me to be more tough in the head. I am different since I went to Paris. I am a way better player and better human. I have changed so much.”
Unsurprisingly, Ekitike was also asked about Salah, and how he has formed a relationship with the Egyptian King at Anfield. Salah has been in top form once again this season, providing six goal contributions in nine games across all competitions. He has linked up well with Ekitike on the pitch, with the Frenchman seeming to have a telepathic connection with the winger that allows them to penetrate the opposition defence. His description of the veteran attacker? A “very cool” guy.
He added: “Really good. Mo is a really cool guy, he is really open with me and is really good to talk too. He is great to play with. I was watching him on TV when he was scoring the goals and stuff but he is a really great athlete. You can just improve yourself and learn from him. It is good to share the pitch with him and I hope we are going to score lots of goals and bring some wins to the team together. He is very cool. More cool than what I have seen on TV because sometimes you see straight face and stuff so I thought he was cold… someone who doesn’t talk a lot. He is really open, like all of the guys here. They are really open and want me to adapt to the team.”
Naturally, Ekitike was not part of the Liverpool squad that won the Premier League last season. While the 23-year-old will have been gutted to miss out on a medal, it means he has fresh motivation to win something with the Reds this season, andkeep the squad’s hunger alive under Arne Slot. So far, it has been a relatively decent start for the champions, but in recent weeks they have slipped up. A 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace was followed up by a Champions League defeat to Galatasaray.
It means Liverpool are now looking over their shoulder at Arsenal and Co, who are so desperate to make history for themselves. Undoubtedly, Ekitike will need to contribute at a similar rate to what he has been already this season if his side are to stay ahead of the chasing pack. That includes a huge win away to Chelsea on Saturday evening.
