Hugo Ekitike gets Achilles injury return date as 'dark places' warning issued

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Hugo Ekitike has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a ruptured Achilles, and the Liverpool striker has been sent a message of encouragement by a former Premier League striker

Hugo Ekitike has sustained a nasty injury(Image: Getty Images)

Former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison has told Liverpool star Hugo Ekitike that he could make his return from injury as early as October 2026.

The French forward underwent surgery earlier this month after rupturing his Achilles tendon against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. While a full recovery from such an injury typically takes nine months, Morrison remains upbeat that Ekitike could be back on the pitch considerably sooner than January next year.

He told Freebets.com: "Just stay strong. Stay positive. Have good people around you. And in this day and age with all the medical technology available, it could be six or seven months.

"He's young — you heal quicker when you're young. But yeah, there'll be dark places. Watching the World Cup will hurt him. And when pre-season starts and all your teammates are in it and you're not — that's the hard one.

"But he's had a very good season overall, he's still young, he's a top player, and he will bounce back. The people at Liverpool, his family, his friends — they'll all get behind him. There is light at the end of the tunnel."

While a return to soccer remains feasible before the year is out, any prospect of representing France at the World Cup is firmly out of the question.

Ekitike will several months of soccer(Image: Getty Images)

The 23-year-old had appeared a certainty to feature in Didier Deschamps' squad, having contributed three goal involvements across his last six outings.

Ekitike took to social media following his significant injury and subsequent surgery, posting on Instagram: "I'm out of here, I'll be back soon."

The responsibility now appears to fall on Alexander Isak to step up over the coming months, with his debut season at Anfield having been disrupted by fitness and injury concerns.

Cody Gakpo is anticipated to fill some of the minutes in attack, which could open the door for a more prominent role for Rio Ngumoha.

The youngster is undoubtedly central to Liverpool's long-term plans, yet it was Mohamed Salah — who is set to depart at the end of the campaign — who turned back the clock with his goal in Sunday's 2-1 Merseyside Derby victory over Everton.

That triumph afforded the Reds some valuable breathing space in the battle for Champions League qualification, with Brighton, Chelsea, Brentford and Bournemouth all closely snapping at their heels.

A home win against Crystal Palace this weekend at Anfield would place Arne Slot's players in an excellent position to seal a top-five finish, particularly with away fixtures at Manchester United and Aston Villa to follow.

The Reds also welcome Chelsea and Brentford to Anfield in the closing weeks of the season.