Hugo Ekitike names “most important” teammate who made Liverpool move easy
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.
Image Credits: Imago ImagesHugo Ekitike has enjoyed a remarkable start to life at Liverpool since his £79 million summer transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt.
The 23-year-old French striker has made an instant impact, scoring two goals and providing one assist in his first four Premier League appearances for the Reds.
He also managed to bag in his official debut in the Community Shield vs Crystal Palace in August.
It’s easy to forget that the striker is still a young man playing in a different league and country, but his adaption has been seamless.
And now, speaking to Stan Sport Football, the Frenchman has named his compatriot in Ibrahima Konate as a big reason for how well he has assimilated into Arne Slot’s squad
“I think the most important person when I came here was Ibou to be honest,” he said.
“He’s been in the club for four years, so he knows everything here, he knows the people so he helped me a lot with everything off the pitch and on the pitch.”
“The other players helped me more on the pitch, connection, links to find my position here,” Ekitike explained.
“But Ibou has been really important for me here.”
He added that off the pitch issues to iron out like finding somewhere to live was all wrapped up quickly, allowing to focus just on football:
“The other players helped me to settle well in the team, in the training ground.
I found my house quickly, so all these things kind of helped me to just think about football and be focused on my job on the pitch?
It’s been good.”
It’s no surprise that Konate has been welcoming Ekitike with open arms, as the defender is a well-liked member of the dressing room and gets on with everybody.
That’s why it feels so integral for him to sign a new contract at Anfield.
The 26-year-old centre-back has entered the final year of his Liverpool contract without agreeing to an extension, despite multiple attempts by the club to secure his long-term commitment to the club.
Real Madrid are believed to be keen on signing Konate on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Want to get the latest Liverpool news direct to your phone