Liverpool fans told how Hugo Ekitike compares to Alexander Isak as his Anfield arrival edges closer

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Liverpool have been desperate for a striker all summer and it looks as though they have found their man.

The Reds have spent big this summer but there appears to be one more big arrival set to come through the door.

Liverpool are edging closer to signing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike in a deal worth up to £78m, with the Frenchman already agreeing personal terms.

The 23-year-old has been a target all summer long, although Alexander Isak was always the ‘dream target’, but after a move for him did not seem plausible, they acted swiftly for Ekitike instead.

Many fans may have been left disappointed as there seemed to be hope of signing the Swede, but the Frankfurt man is a more than adequate alternative.

There is also a clear reason why they decided to opt for him instead as he certainly shares similarities with the Newcastle star that could prove beneficial next season.

Hugo Ekitike is a similar player to Alexander Isak

There is certainly a lot of pressure on Liverpool to get this decision right as they have not had much luck in the striking department over recent years.

With Darwin Nunez’s move being a bit of a failure, signing Isak would have made a lot of sense as he is a safer bet and would likely have made an instant impact.

However, former Eintracht Frankfurt Jan Aage Fjortoft believes that Ekitike is also a good option as he has similar qualities to the Swede, indicating that this move is more like-for-like than many perhaps realise.

“If you compare them, you also have to make an honest analysis because I will say that Isak is a more proven goal-getter and he’s proven that in England,” he said on the Redmen TV 2 YouTube channel.

“Hugo Ekitike’s numbers are also very good, but there will always be that doubt of ‘can you adjust to another team?’

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“But I think that is one of the reasons he prefers Liverpool because imagine you have Gakpo next to you, Florian Wirtz behind and Mohamed Salah on the right side, I’m 58 and I would have scored 10 goals for Liverpool!

“He is very intelligent and can be close to the way Isak plays, he is one of those that I define as a ‘floater’. He just moves over the pitch, got a great eye for his players and great eye for the goal.”

Fjortoft concluded by saying: “He is also a guy that takes on players and a very modern player. He’s not your typical number nine but I don’t think Liverpool play with a typical number nine anyway. I think he fits the bill big time for Liverpool.”

Hugo Ekitike will be a great signing for Liverpool

The disappointment from fans is justified to some extent as there seemed to be a real possibility that Isak might be joining at some point in time.

However, with that now seeming highly unlikely, supporters should still be encouraged by the impending arrival of Ekitike as he has shown real quality in recent seasons.

As Fjortoft mentioned, he is not a conventional number nine, so he might not be that out-and-out goalscorer that many fans thought they would be getting.

However, he is a facilitator. He is a player that will bring other players into the game, link up well with them, while also having the capabilities to score a lot of goals.

The fact he was wanted by so many clubs is also a key indication that he is a player with an abundance of quality, suggesting Reds fans should get behind him and trust Richard Hughes yet again on this one.