The summer reconstruction of coach Arne Slot in Liverpool has become one of the biggest changes in the history of the Premier League for a champion.
The appearance of Florian Wirtz is a testament to a restructuring in Liverpool midfield. The deals with Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez showed that the golden age of the trent-back-backs Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson ended. But it is the expectation of Hugo Ekitike that is the last dot, making this reform become comprehensive.
This is no longer the team of Jurgen Klopp anymore. However, when the stars from the Bundesliga in turn landed, the strange thing was that Slot seemed to be bringing Liverpool back to its predecessor ideas.
Before discussing how Ekitike affects Slot's tactics, take a look at a few outstanding numbers to understand why Liverpool is willing to spend 69 million pounds, plus 10 million surcharges for this 23 -year -old player.
Ekitike scored 15 goals and had 8 assists in the 31 Bundesliga last season, ranked fifth in the total number of goals. He also belongs to the top 5 players with the most “attacks” in the tournament.
This reflects the comprehensive ability of Ekitike, from keeping the ball, moving into the space, to the tape behind the defense. In a style, he is quite similar to Alexander Isak, but has a more technical and preferred ball through him.
In particular, Ekitike is also very good at creating, creating 44 opportunities from the situation of the ball living in the season 2024/25, more than any striker at the Bundesliga.
However, Ekitike's mild weakness lies in the ability to finish. He launched 117 shots – the most Bundesliga, but the metabolic rate reached only 12.8%, lower than the expected goal (XG) to 6.6 goals – the worst in the top European tournaments.
However, this only shows that Ekitike still needs to be honed. It should be remembered that when Isak was the same age, playing for Real Sociedad in the season 2021/22, he only scored 6 goals after 32 matches, and the same is less effective.
In an era that transformed the state became important, Ekitike stands out thanks to the smart passes, coordinated to release and the last cross -line pull phase.
For example, he topped the Bundesliga 2024/25 on the number of times the ball ended with a shot (44), ranked fifth in the number of dribbles (126), and scored many goals from counterattack faster than anyone (4 goals).
Therefore, the appearance of Ekitike is an interesting turning point for Slot coach.
During the first season, the Dutch strategist calmed the “wild” in Klopp's play, creating a slower and calm Liverpool – as expected of a coach who once described the Guardiola's teams as “the ultimate joy of football”.
But Ekitike has a sign of a revolt, maybe the recent perception of Pep Guardiola itself.
“Modern football is no longer pure position,” Guardiola told TNT Sports a few months ago, right after signing a contract with Omar Marmoush – a striker who played in favor of fast transformation, the person who had kicked with Ekitike in Frankfurt. “You must know how to catch the game speed”.
Slot seems to be giving in to the new Premier League trend. The fact that Ekitike came at the same time as Wirtz, another Bundesliga star, was a sign of a new attack: full of speed, fast switching and playing directly.
Both have the ability to coordinate a sharp touch, often penetrate the penalty area and grow up from good status teams in Germany. It was a clear change for Slot, and partly the return to Klopp's “Heavy Metal” style.
Are Slot modifications of Liverpool's diagram?
Along with Wirtz and two new winged defenders, the presence of Ekitike shows a very different Liverpool. In the 2024/25 season, Mo Salah marked the shoes on 47 out of 86 goals of the team (55%), mainly from the right corridor – where he was often alone when Alexander -Arnold was inward.
Frimpong is the opposite, a extremely mobility and always clinging to the border. That could help Salah less burden, and allow him to support Wirtz – “No. 10” the first true Liverpool after years.
Add one more data: Ekitike used to play very well in the diagram of two strikers in Frankfurt, paired with Marmoush with flexible position swap. Ekitike also played a pair of strikers in Reims, which made his name. Does the slot calculate using Salah – Ekitike?
In the 4-2-3-1 scheme, with Frimpong rising on the right wing, Salah can bundle into the rock near Ekitike as a second striker, and Wirtz and a central midfielder supported behind. Such a gameplay will be very direct, speed and in accordance with the philosophy of fast state conversion.
It is just one of many options that Slot has thanks to a versatile “number 9” like Ekitike. He can back as deep as Firmino, can run behind the defense, play independently or kick, play in the ball control system or counterattack.
Ekitike is a “genuine” product: A comprehensive striker and capable of adapting tactics that every club in the “Big Six” group dreams. Whether Slot chose to continue pursuing the patience of Guardiola or returning to Klopp -style rush, the opportunity to protect Liverpool's Premier League championship has certainly improved.
