How Liverpool can line up with Hugo Ekitike as personal terms agreed ahead of transfer

Liverpool looks as though it is closing in on its latest major signing this summer, with Hugo Ekitike looking set to take an important role in Arne Slot’s team next season.

Personal terms have already been agreed with the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, with the Reds just needing to agree a deal with his current club before he can put pen to paper on a six-year deal at Anfield.

Things have moved quickly this week after Liverpool made an approach for Alexander Isak just a couple of days ago. With Newcastle standing firm on its striker, the Reds have turned their attention to their backup plan, with the Magpies calling off their own pursuit of Ekitike to give Liverpool a free run.

Ekitike may well join Liverpool in time for the club’s pre-season tour of Asia next week, when we’re likely to get some more hints about how Slot’s side will line up for their Premier League title defense next season.

We might already be able to deduce how the Reds boss will organize things, with Liverpool’s potential team for 2025/26 enough to get any supporter excited.

Although Giorgi Mamardashvili got the nod in the opening friendly against Preston, Alisson Becker should still hold onto the No.1 spot in goal, and no doubt he will come back into contention in the forthcoming games in pre-season.

Defense is where we start to see the first changes being made. It will be a straight shootout between Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong to start at right-back - we’ll put the latter in there for now, although that place is up for grabs.

Milos Kerkez will have his eye on becoming the new first-choice left-back, with Andy Robertson perhaps set for a reduced role now. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate take their usual roles at the heart of the defense, despite doubts still surrounding the latter’s future.

If Slot chooses to stick with the same formation that served him well last season, then we could see Florian Wirtz taking Dominik Szoboszlai’s spot as the No.10. The Hungarian may still start the season in midfield, considering Ryan Gravenberch will be suspended after his final day red card, but you’d expect the Dutchman to be the regular partner to Alexis Mac Allister in the middle.

And as we move to the frontline, it will likely be business as usual for Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo on either flank, but with a new face in the middle in the shape of Ekitike.

There are some variables in that side, with Szoboszlai potentially keeping his No.10 spot and Wirtz moving to the left in place of Gakpo, but whatever configuration Slot opts for, he’s set to have a very exciting team on his hands.

Possible Liverpool team next season: Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.

Story Saved

You can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.