1 day ago
4
Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike has opened up on what it has been like to work with Mohamed Salah so far on Merseyside — outlining the warm welcome into the group that the Egyptian has given him.
Ekitike, 23, moved to Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer for a fee that could reach $106 million (£79 million). He has made a fine start to life in the Premier League and could feature against Chelsea today despite limping off midweek in the Champions League clash with Galatasaray.
"Mo is a really cool guy," Ekitike told the BBC. "He is really open with me and is really good to talk too. He is great to play with.
"I was watching him on TV when he was scoring the goals and stuff but he is a really great athlete. You can just improve yourself and learn from him.
"It is good to share the pitch with him and I hope we are going to score lots of goals and bring some wins to the team together.
"He is very cool. More cool than what I have seen on TV because sometimes you see straight face and stuff so I thought he was cold... someone who doesn't talk a lot.
"But he is really open, like all of the guys here. They are really open and want me to adapt to the team."
Ekitike has already scored five times for Liverpool, including in the Community Shield with Crystal Palace. It would be fair to say that he is the summer signing to have hit the ground running the most.
"The first feeling was that I was proud," Ekitike said of his Liverpool transfer. "To come here when I know where I come from. I know football is just moments — you can be at the top and go straight down.
"I set my mind to always be ready, work hard, improve myself and bring success to the team and help the maximum way I can to reach trophies and wins.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
"I know how special it is to win the Premier League for English people. Especially here. So, yeah, to win the league with Liverpool it would be class. I'm excited."
Liverpool.com says: Ekitike has been able to adapt to life at Anfield much more quickly than anyone thought would be the case. He looks ready-made for the Premier League.
While there is a conundrum to solve in terms of how to fit in both Ekitike and Alexander Isak, that is a luxury problem for Arne Slot. In any case, it's not like he wouldn't have known what the intention was when he bought the pair.
English (US) ·