The transfer market often operates in waves of anticipation and decisive action. For Liverpool, a period of relative calm has been dramatically punctuated by the club`s significant £116 million investment in German playmaker Florian Wirtz. This move signals a clear intent: for the right talent, the Anfield hierarchy is prepared to commit substantial resources, a departure from the cautious approach seen in previous pursuits, such as the ultimately unsuccessful bids for Jude Bellingham and Moises Caicedo.
The arrival of Wirtz, a player with immense creative capacity, naturally shifts focus onto the components needed to build a formidable attack around him. Recent reports suggest Liverpool`s forward line could undergo further changes. Uruguay international Darwin Nunez is linked with a move to Napoli, while Luis Diaz is reportedly attracting strong interest from Bayern Munich. Should these potential exits materialize, the necessity for reinforcing the striking department becomes paramount.
The Search for Striking Power
While Newcastle United`s Alexander Isak has been cited as a potentially ideal, albeit likely unattainable, target, Liverpool`s search appears to be broadening. Attention is now reportedly turning to the Bundesliga, specifically to Eintracht Frankfurt`s young French forward, Hugo Ekitike.
Spanish reports indicate that Liverpool is “accelerating” its efforts to sign the 23-year-old. However, securing Ekitike`s signature will be no simple task. The former Paris Saint-Germain man is also generating “strong interest” from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United, setting the stage for a competitive bidding war. With a reported valuation of €100 million (£85 million), Ekitike would represent another significant outlay, though Liverpool is said to be prepared to make the “first move” in what is described as a “wide open” race.
Paying a fee potentially close to the club record spent on Nunez might raise a few eyebrows among supporters, particularly given Ekitike`s relatively lower profile compared to an Isak. However, the strategic rationale behind targeting the Frenchman becomes clearer when considering the player he would be expected to link up with: Florian Wirtz.
Ekitike: The Boniface Blueprint?
Florian Wirtz was a central figure in Bayer Leverkusen`s historic unbeaten domestic season and their run to the Europa League final. While his individual output remained high last season, it was perhaps in the preceding campaign that the full impact of having a specific type of striker ahead of him became most evident.
During Leverkusen`s double-winning 2023/24 season, Wirtz formed a particularly potent partnership with Nigerian striker Victor Boniface. Despite playing fewer games together than Wirtz did with other teammates like Patrick Schick or Amine Adli, the Wirtz-Boniface connection yielded nine joint goal contributions in just 51 appearances. As noted by the official Bundesliga website, Boniface`s arrival “arguably unlocked the full potential of the Germany international’s offensive ability,” highlighting the “special chemistry” they developed in the final third.
This successful dynamic offers a potential template for Liverpool`s attack with Wirtz at its heart. This is where Hugo Ekitike enters the picture. Statistical analysis platforms like FBref identify Ekitike as a player with a profile statistically similar to Boniface among Bundesliga forwards. This likeness is particularly pronounced in key attacking metrics.
Ekitike ranks highly for actions that indicate a consistent goal threat and presence in dangerous areas: he is in the top 5% for shots per 90 minutes and the top 6% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90. Victor Boniface, for comparison, ranks in the top 3% and top 8% for these same metrics, respectively. While not identical, this statistical resemblance suggests Ekitike possesses the instincts and positioning that allowed Boniface to thrive as a target for Wirtz`s creativity.
The logic is compelling: acquire a striker who operates in similar high-leverage attacking zones as the player who previously maximized Wirtz`s output. If Ekitike can replicate even a portion of the `special chemistry` Wirtz shared with Boniface, Liverpool`s significant investment in their new German maestro could prove even more inspired. The pursuit of Ekitike, therefore, appears less about chasing a headline name and more about finding the specific profile required to unlock the potential of Anfield`s most expensive new arrival.
