Andy Gray says he 'can't believe' £69m player actually signed for Liverpool this summer
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Arne Slot and Richard Hughes spent over £400million on improving Liverpool’s first-team squad this summer, with the club managing to add the likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak to their ranks.
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The Frenchman has led Liverpool’s attacking line since the start of the season, and even though Isak is set to make his debut against Atletico Madrid, it’ll be hard for him to replace Ekitike in the Reds’ starting XI, especially with the form he’s shown over the last few weeks.
In fact, while live on beIN Sports, Andy Gray and Richard Keys shared their disbelief that Ekitike chose to join Liverpool, even though Isak was likely to join.
“If you’re being sold to a team like Liverpool and Ekitike was, okay, Newcastle were in there asking [for his transfer],” Gray said.
“Ekitike is joining Liverpool, he speaks to them he certainly would have asked them what’s your plans for me, what do you see me doing and I can’t believe he joined the team after being told ‘well we’re going to sign you but after we’ve got you we’re going to buy Alexander Isak for double what you cost so you’ll play a few games but you won’t play quite as much as you expect.’
“So I would’ve said, ‘I’m sorry, but I want to play football.
I’m a young mid-twenties centre forward, international, I don’t want to come and sit on your bench for seven out of 10 games.’”
Richard Keys then replied: “I can’t believe that he and his agent, between them, hadn’t read a newspaper or were unaware of Liverpool’s interest in Alexander Isak.
“They must have known.”
One of the main problems that Liverpool have faced over the last few years is that they haven’t had like-for-like replacements on their bench.
That’s why, even though Isak and Ekitike both deserve to start, both have been willing to join Liverpool to be rotated.