How Hugo Ekitike is making Liverpool fans fall in love with him off the pitch as well as on it - opinion
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Hugo Ekitike has quickly made himself a hero to the Liverpool fanbase after hitting the ground running this season.The Frenchman’s arrival had been somewhat overshadowed by that of Alexander Isak, but as the Swede struggles to get going, Ekitike has thrived.10 goals in his first 23 Liverpool appearances is incredibly promising, and has meant it has been easy for supporters to fall in love with Ekitike the player.Join our newsletter for news & smart analysis. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say However, the 23-year-old also appears to be an interesting character away from the actual football.This week, Ekitike appeared in a ‘Day in the Life’ video produced by LFCTV, and after watching what he had to say about his new home and the people he shares it with, Liverpool supporters will start to love him even more.Hugo Ekitike embraces Liverpudlian cultureBy now, most Liverpool fans will have found Ekitike’s second, ‘burner’ Instagram account.
And when given the opportunity to display who he is for the watching supporters, he hailed the Scouse accent and how it is misconceived from the outside.Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty ImagesREAD MORE: Jamie Carragher shares if he has any regrets about how he’s handled the Mo Salah situation at Liverpool“Be a Scouser, I understand,” Ekitike told presenter Rubi Deschamps. The biggest decision Arne Slot has to make for Liverpool vs Tottenham is: Liverpool’s injury list is getting longer 👇 Join the debate; share your insight.
Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say “My mum, she came here before the international break,” he said. She said she went on the tour, she said there was a cathedral, she loves that kind of stuff, you know.”Ekitike’s fascination in Liverpool seems very genuineAlthough Ekitike embracing his new surroundings could come across as a new player simply trying to say the right things, you get the impression that is not what’s going on here.The former Eintracht Frankfurt star appears genuinely fascinated by the place he has arrived at and the people who reside within it.It is not a given that new signings are willing to assimilate in such a way, with many closing themselves off and never building a connection with the city.But Ekitike is obviously built of different stuff.