Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net
Arne Slot’s debut season at Liverpool delivered a triumphant Premier League title, built on consistency and the evolution of existing talent.
But, for all the success, the forward line remains a key area primed for regeneration.
Mohamed Salah may have only recently signed a fresh two-year extension with the club, but the Egyptian will soon be turning thirty-four next month and his supply of goals cannot be sustained forever.
As for his counterparts, only Cody Gakpo’s place is secure in this new-look Liverpool.
All of Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa and Luis Diaz are sat on the periphery and could be made to leave, if a suitable offer arrives.
This means that the time has come for Arne Slot to reshape Liverpool’s attacking future.
Among the emerging targets, Hugo Ekitike’s name has surfaced as a potential long-term addition.
The 22-year-old French forward, currently of Eintracht Frankfurt, is far from the finished article, but we will be discussing how Ekitike could become Liverpool’s next project striker.
AN EVOLVING FRONT LINE
Liverpool’s forward line under Jürgen Klopp was once defined by electric pace, high pressing and ruthless energy.
Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino redefined the modern attacking trios, but under Slot, there’s a subtle shift.
Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane formed Liverpool’s most daunting attacking trio of the Klopp era.
Laura Malkin/Propaganda.
The emphasis has moved towards more controlled possession, structured build-up and multi-phase contribution from the forwards.
It’s not just about goals, but overall balance.
This creates both a challenge and an opportunity.
Salah continues to perform but cannot carry the right-hand side.
Diaz and Gakpo offer flashes, but their long-term ceiling in the new system isn’t yet fully known.
Nunez offers sparks but a rare consistency to find the net continues to frustrate the manager and supporters, while injury setbacks have become a common theme in regard to Jota and Chiesa.
The Reds need a forward who brings both flexibility and potential.
Hugo Ekitike may just be that man.
TAILORED FOR GROWTH
Ekitike first gained attention at Stade de Reims with his fluid movement, tall frame and blistering pace.
This led to him earning comparisons to players like Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe, not because he matched their quality, but because his skill set blurred traditional lines.
A six-foot-two forward who could drop deep, run in-behind or drift wide and carry the ball.
His Bundesliga stint has been less headline grabbing, but valuable.
At Eintracht Frankfurt, Ekitike has had to adjust to a new league and face the demands of a more tactical environment.
While the numbers are yet to explode, the tools are still visible.
Intelligent movement, close control, a willingness to press and composure in link-up play.
Hugo Ekitike is the epitome of potential, and Arne Slot may be the perfect manager to lead that potential into power.
ARNE SLOT’S BLUEPRINTPeter Byrne/PA Wire.
When at Feyenoord, Slot excelled with players who had raw tools but needed refinement.
He didn’t just integrate them into a system; he made them evolve within it.
For example, Mexico forward, Santiago Gimenez, went from raw finisher to complete striker under the Dutchman’s coaching and adapting tactically.
At Liverpool, Slot now oversees a different scale of project, but the philosophy remains.
His 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 hybrid systems require forwards who are tactically disciplined, technically sharp and committed to the task.
Ekitike can play centrally or wide, press from the front, drop into half-spaces and act as a mobile target for build-up play.
What he lacks in final-third ruthlessness, Arne Slot can help on that.
With proper minutes and guidance, the French forward could develop into someone who not only scores goals but stitches several attacking phases together.
A key component for Liverpool as their game becomes less about chaos and more about control.
THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT
One of Liverpool’s greatest strengths in recent years has been the creation of an eco-system where talented, yet unpolished players can grow without becoming overwhelmed.
Under both Jurgen Klopp and now Arne Slot, the club has struck a balance between elite competitiveness and developmental patience.
Players like Curtis Jones, Conor Bradley and Harvey Elliott were not thrown into the fire but surrounded by experience and a clear tactical framework.
At twenty-two, Hugo Ekitike is still learning at the top level and at Liverpool, his skill set wouldn’t need to be perfect from day one.
With a deep enough squad to rotate and protect, the club can afford to bet on high-upside players like Ekitike, not out of desperation but from a position of long-term strength.
WHAT EKITIKE COULD BECOMESwen Pfortner/PA Images.
So what would success look like for Hugo Ekitike at Liverpool?
It’s not just double-digit goals, it’s becoming a forward who presses with discipline, possesses intelligent movement and contributes consistently.
If nurtured correctly, he could offer a different dimension – one with the elegance of a link player, the instincts of a striker and a physical profile built to be a modern Premier League threat.
In twelve to eighteen months, the hope wouldn’t be that Ekitike is scoring, but that he would be central to the shape and rhythm of Arne Slot’s attack.
Liverpool are not a club in crisis, far from it, but the most successful clubs should always look to plan ahead.
With Slot ushering in a new tactical identity, the forward line must evolve through smart investments.
Hugo Ekitike may not be a marquee name, but he fits the brief.
If Ekitike is to arrive at Anfield, the move would reflect Liverpool’s ambition of not only attempting to win now, but to build the next version of an attacking force.
Want to get the latest Liverpool news direct to your phone?
![[Valid RSS]](../valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed")