Former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse has sent a clear warning message to Hugo Ekitike after telling him he “would’ve been crazy” to have turned down reigning champions.
Ekitike is poised to become Liverpool’s seventh signing of the summer after the Reds agreed a deal worth up to £79 million with the Bundesliga side. The agreement includes an initial £69m fee and a further £10m in performance-related add-ons. A six-year contract has already been lined up for the French forward, who was previously on the books at Paris Saint-Germain.
The striker flew to England on Tuesday alongside his agent to undergo a medical in London and formally finalise the transfer. Once confirmed, he is expected to immediately join up with Arne Slot’s squad in Hong Kong, where Liverpool are currently stationed for their 10 day pre-season tour in the Far East.
Speaking to L’Équipe, Cissé, who won the 2005 UEFA Champions League during a two-year spell at Liverpool, said Ekitike made the right decision in choosing Anfield.
“He would’ve been crazy not to go.”
The 23-year-old rose to prominence during a breakthrough season with Stade de Reims before securing a high-profile move to Paris Saint-Germain. However, limited opportunities in the French capital saw him loaned and eventually sold to Eintracht Frankfurt, where he began to rebuild his form and confidence.
Now, after a strong season in the Bundesliga, scoring 22 goals and providing 12 assists in all competitions, Ekitike is set for a new challenge at Anfield. The deal comes after reigning champions fought off competition from Newcastle United and other European sides who were also interested in the striker.
Ekitike’s physicality, work rate, and ability to play with his back to goal are seen as key attributes that will offer Arne Slot’s side a different attacking dimension. The club’s recruitment team believes his potential ceiling justifies the sizeable investment and believes the former Reims striker provides something a bit different up front for the Reds.
Cissé likened Ekitike to a former teammate, suggesting that he take up a role nobody else in the squad can perform.
“Now he has to perform. In his profile he is a bit of a ‘target man’, like Peter Crouch. He’s the only one in the squad.”
Despite his praise, Cissé urged caution and warned that Ekitike will need time to adapt to the intensity and pace of English football, which is widely considered more demanding than the Bundesliga.
“In Germany, he might have had more time to express himself, more space. In England, the intensity will shock him. The Premier League is relentless faster, more physical, more pressure.”
Cissé, who remains Liverpool’s highest-scoring French player with 24 goals, also reflected on the difficulty many French players have faced when trying to make their mark at Liverpool compared to rival English clubs.
“At Arsenal or Chelsea, the French really left a mark. At Liverpool, maybe some came too young or weren’t quite ready. But one day, one of us will break through and set the tone. Maybe Hugo can be that player.”
Liverpool are expected to confirm the signing officially later this week and Ekitike could feature in one of the club’s upcoming friendlies in Asia before the Reds return to Merseyside to prepare for the start of their new Premier League season.
All eyes will be on Hugo Ekitike to see if he can follow in the footsteps of great Liverpool number nines and, as Cissé hopes, finally become the French trailblazer to leave a lasting mark on Merseyside.
