Hugo Ekitike steps up rehab as Liverpool star's injury recovery gathers pace

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Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike is making encouraging progress in his recovery from a ruptured Achilles, with the striker stepping up rehabilitation after returning to the AXA Training CentreHugo Ekitike was back at Liverpool's training ground this week(Image: Liverpool FC)It would have been all too easy for Hugo Ekitike to feel as though his world had come crashing down as he lay stricken on the Anfield turf in April.A ruptured Achilles tendon, sustained in the opening stages of a Champions League quarterfinal against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, brought a highly promising individual campaign to a sudden and brutal halt.While Liverpool endured a largely forgettable season as a collective, Ekitike had still managed to net 17 goals across all competitions, becoming the first player other than Mohamed Salah since Philippe Coutinho in 2017 to finish as the Reds' leading scorer.Yet as the injury immediately curtailed his season, a further blow swiftly followed: the severity of the damage meant any hope of representing France at the World Cup was firmly extinguished. See you again soon, Anfield."Inside Ekitke's recoveryEkitike, 24, has been throwing himself into his recovery throughout his summer break, drawing on the skills of a physiotherapist he personally sourced in Los Angeles.

Under the watchful eye of German physio Berengar Buschmann in California, Ekitike has made significant strides in his rehabilitation program over recent days.Footage shared on social media last week captured Ekitike putting in the hard yards during a gym session, working through a series of exercises aimed at strengthening the Achilles, including some light ball work.Ekitike was one of Liverpool's best players last season(Image: Getty Images)In the clip, he can be seen performing basic ball-juggling drills while exchanging passes with the physio, both with and without crutches. Weight-bearing routines targeting tendon strength have also featured prominently in his recovery schedule.Ekitike was also shown engaging in aquatic aerobics and drills specifically designed to build endurance in the ruptured Achilles, widely considered one of the most debilitating injuries a footballer can sustain.Buschmann was brought on board at the player's own request and has maintained close communication with Liverpool throughout, mapping out a route that will see the Frenchman return to the pitch ASAP.

However, that proposed return would arrive right in the midst of one of the campaign's most demanding periods and is considered somewhat ambitious by some at this juncture.Ekitike is more likely to be gradually reintroduced through cup fixtures, if feasible for Iraola, and there is no indication internally that Liverpool is imposing a specific timeline on the rehabilitation process at present.Only once the rehabilitation phase has concluded can the club's medical staff begin to establish a realistic timeframe for the player's return, and given the substantial investment in him, he won't be hurried back.The Frenchman was photographed at Balenciaga's Haute Couture showcase in Paris this week, still relying on his crutches. He was also seen at the AXA Training Centre on Tuesday with the mobility aids present, suggesting a comeback remains considerably distant.Ekitike's temperament has been cited by some as a factor in why the serious injury won't overwhelm him during the challenging, prolonged rehabilitation period.