Victor Munoz’s record as a striker means Andoni Iraola has three ways to replace Hugo Ekitike
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Trying to cover for Hugo Ekitike is one of the many problems Andoni Iraola will have to deal with during his first season as Liverpool manager.Speaking at his first press conference as Reds boss this week, the Spaniard confirmed: “But there’s going to be, especially in Hugo’s case, a period where we’ll be without them and we have to find solutions.”We know that the Frenchman will probably be out until the end of 2026 at the earliest, and while Alexander Isak will be the main number nine during that period, the injury-prone Swede cannot start every game.But Iraola has three options to replace Ekitike once 2026/27 kicks off, including starting new signing Victor Munoz as a striker, where he has previously managed nearly one goal every other game. How important is that Andoni Iraola connects with Liverpool fans off the pitch?
He already sounds like the opposite of Arne Slot! Photo Credit: Getty ImagesJan Kruger Assessing Liverpool’s striker options while Hugo Ekitike is outTo be honest, the Munoz signing did feel like it came out of nowhere, and his best position at Liverpool isn’t really clear yet.He is a natural left winger, but would fans want to see him start over Rio Ngumoha, or Bradley Barcola if he ends up signing?Luckily, the 23-year-old is incredibly versatile and has the ability to play across the frontline, including in a centre-forward role.Previously, Munoz has scored 10 and assisted five in 21 appearances as a striker during his career.A small sample size, of course, but as long as Isak stays fit, Iraola will only need his back-up option to come off the bench in league matches and then start in cup games where the Reds will likely have weaker opponents.Photo by Antonio Borga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty ImagesThe second option to cover for Ekitike is Cody Gakpo.
The Dutchman came under fire last term when he started off the left, largely due to his inability to link up with the left-back, instead preferring to cut inside and shoot every chance he got.Thankfully, playing as a striker means Gakpo can shoot as much as he wants, which should get supporters off his back.Finally, while it is probably the most unlikely option, we could see academy talent Keyrol Figueroa promoted to the senior team.The 19-year-old made his international debut for Honduras this year after scoring 11 in 14 Premier League 2 games.Unlike Arne Slot, Iraola is willing to give young players a chance, and Figueroa is already in pre-season training, where he should be working to impress the Spaniard.Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox