Sitting casually on a step at the AXA Training Centre, Hugo Ekitike, with his tall 6-foot-3 frame, cradles a plastic cup filled with the latest creation from the nutrition team. Whatever the mix, it’s another attempt to fuel the French striker’s dynamic energy.

Ekitike himself is something of a concoction—a modern striker who offers much more than just a knack for scoring goals. He’s known for his speed, creativity, and tireless work ethic, all while maintaining an impressive positional awareness. His agility and skill make him a standout player, especially for someone of his stature.

Describing himself as a blend of influences, Ekitike has drawn inspiration from a host of talented players over the years. His past teammates could form an enviable five-a-side squad: Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Omar Marmoush.

“I’ve always tried to learn from the best, even off the ball,” he admits. “During my time at Paris Saint-Germain, I closely watched these stars and continue to do so. I aim to incorporate elements from players I admire.”

Hugo Ekitike is taking elements from his idols in his bid to be a Liverpool success story

Arne Slot has high standards and Ekitike has been learning from him since his summer move

Ekitike elaborates, “I strive to emulate Messi’s vision, attempting to anticipate moves before the ball even reaches me. From Neymar, I’ve tried to adopt some of his tricks, skills, and ball control. Kylian taught me about making strategic runs without the ball. There’s so much I’ve learned from them, it’s hard to list it all.”

“Watching and learning from others is key,” he notes. “I constantly work to integrate these skills into my game to become a more well-rounded player.”

It is that last word that had Liverpool sold on the idea of signing him. Noises over a potential move were ramping up even from late 2024, with Reds scouts spotted in Frankfurt. Marmoush, now at Sunday’s opponents Manchester City, was also flourishing for the German side then.

Ekitike’s £79million move was ultimately completed during the club’s pre-season tour of Asia in late July, made official at 2am Hong Kong time.

Liverpool had been watching him for some time and made contact with his entourage in January, with Arne Slot himself talking to him once the season was complete. Once that call was made, there was only one place he wanted to be: Anfield.

Ekitike, whose name is a palindrome (is the same when written backwards), scored highly on the Reds’ data tests and the numbers last year had him as leading the charts for most metrics bar the big one, scoring goals.

That piqued the interest of Slot and Co, who were desperate for an all-round forward. If he retained these metrics, his finishing percentage would surely improve (so far, so good – he is the Reds’ top scorer this term).

At a comparable age, the data-models showed only two players who scored higher than Ekitike on Liverpool’s system: Mbappe – more on him later – and Haaland, which brings us swiftly on to the big Norwegian goal machine.

‘He’s probably the best striker in the world now for a few years, and definitely someone I’m looking at,’ says Ekitike on his opposite number on Sunday. Despite being an opponent, the No 9 is not afraid to admit Haaland is a role model for most young strikers worldwide.

‘I think if I can add a little bit in my game it would be from his game. He’s able to do things without touching the ball much during the game, and it’s really impressive. So yes, he’s definitely someone I’m looking at.’

Ekitike plays with Kylian Mbappe France – and admires Manchester City’s Erling Haaland

With 27 goals in 17 games for club and country this season, there is certainly no shame in admitting to studying Haaland. But Ekitike knows it is more than just goals that will keep his place in the Liverpool XI when £125m man Alexander Isak is fully fit and firing.

In training, manager Arne Slot has been very demanding. Harsh, perhaps – but in a good way. The Dutchman asks a lot from his No 9 and publicly criticised Darwin Nunez for his off-the-ball work last season, a very rare step for the boss.

He also publicly criticised Ekitike but that was for a silly red card for taking his shirt off. The striker subsequently missed a defeat at Crystal Palace – with their top scorer in the team, that day may have ended differently, and the striker ‘punished himself’ a lot, he said a month ago.

Discussing Slot’s high demands, the forward says, smirking: ‘As a player, sometimes you’re p***ed (off), it’s annoying.

‘I know he wants the best for me and he wants the best for the team. I would say he’s on my back, but (it’s) not a bad thing. He just wants to help me, so I don’t take that badly. He wants me to give more and more.

‘Sometimes you say that a coach is on your back. Maybe sometimes you feel like it’s a little bit too much and you want to complain, it’s a good thing because I think if a coach doesn’t like you, he will not speak to you or not try to get the best of you. I take it in a good way.

‘On a certain day, obviously when I go ‘it’s a little bit annoying’ but when I look back and watch the discussion we have, it’s only good things and it’s only for me to improve.’

Pushed on what Slot is demanding, he says: ‘To keep my shirt on! It was more about workrate without the ball. It was mostly about that, to be more involved and to work more for the team, which I’m trying to do. We’ll get there – it’s mostly about working without the ball.’

It is not just Slot demanding a lot of Ekitike. Former team-mate and one of the best forwards in the game, Real Madrid’s Mbappe, is also often on the phone with advice. The two have a close bond from when Ekitike, then a teenager, was at PSG at the same time as his compatriot.

‘He saw me in a bad position at PSG,’ he says, referring to how he had to leave the French capital in search of regular game-time. ‘So he is happy for me that now things are working out. We see each other in the national team and play together.

‘He has been like a big brother to me. He was always good to me, always gave me advice. Now we face each other in the Champions League, Liverpool versus Real Madrid, it is good.’

After Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Madrid, Mbappe and Ekitike spent 20 minutes having a catch-up. One of them broke through as a teenage superstar, the other had to be patient and walk the less-trodden path via a loan to Danish side Vejle Boldklub and then out to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Ekitike is coming up against his former Frankfurt team-mate Omar Marmoush on Sunday

But the path led to the top and those setbacks, such as leaving PSG after a move from boyhood club Reims did not work out, are why Ekitike has faith he can be a mainstay in the Liverpool XI even when the bigger name of Isak is eventually back to his best level.

Can they play together? ‘I think I’m able to play with any players and we can definitely play together,’ insists Ekitike.

‘I think we only played once in one half, so obviously we can’t know yet. He’s a good player and I’m not worried about good players because in time they improve and they learn how to find connections and links.

‘I’m definitely sure that not only him, but all the players who play in the offensive line, I know we can all play together. Obviously not playing on the pitch all together at the same time, but I can be on the pitch with all of them and just enjoy playing good football.’