The 2025 summer transfer window was dominated by strikers with a host of clubs needing to reinforce their attacks.
Demand was on the rise and this meant transfer fees spiked. It was almost impossible to find value for money in this particular market, let alone being in a position to grab yourself what could best be described as a bargain.
Yet Liverpool managed it.
No, not the £125million they paid for Alexander Isak. That was an overpayment but when you want the best, and the Reds clearly felt he was the best available, you have to pay the big money. Newcastle no doubt added a premium to the fee too after the saga stretched across the entire transfer window. The Magpies no doubt used transfer fees other clubs paid to sign strikers as a way to justify their excessive demands.
The Reds likely paid the inflated fee because they knew they’d already grabbed themselves the bargain of the summer though. Safe in the knowledge they had Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool could spend a little more on Isak.
Because, like it or not, Ekitike has quickly proven himself to be a bargain for the Reds, even though they paid £69million to sign him from Eintracht Frankfurt ahead of the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.
Some queried whether the Premier League champions needed the Frenchman after making it clear their top target was Isak. You even had Jamie Carragher on Monday Night Football detailing why he thought it was a strange decision in the summer to sign both centre forwards.
The former centre-back said: “Ekitike has to play now. I could totally understand it’s not easy, and this was always my reservation about buying two strikers for that much money who both play in the same position.
“It’s very difficult to see a Liverpool team, or any team, get two strikers on the pitch, unless maybe you’re playing three at the back. It’s not easy to do that. I understand trying to get Isak in the team even though Ekitike was doing well. He’s a great player, he’s [Slot] got to get him fit, and he’s also paid a lot of money for him.
“My mind boggles going forward how this is going to work, but right now Ekitike’s got the shirt. He’s playing really well and it will probably do Isak a little bit of good if he’s out of the team to build his fitness up in training more.”
The idea was that the Liverpool of yesteryear sign one, not both. And when Ekitike was benched, despite his goalscoring exploits, as the Reds looked to get Isak up to speed, it did seem like a fair judgement.
Ekitike was always going to be second fiddle to the club’s most expensive signing.
While nobody could’ve guessed that Isak would break this leg this term, the Swede did arrive with injury concerns. Liverpool, having sold two strikers and with the tragic passing of Diogo Jota, needed a second senior forward on their books. They couldn’t shape their entire campaign around Isak being fit. That would’ve been extremely naive and negligent.
Now in January, the decision to not only sign Ekitike but sign him early is looking like a masterstroke.
The Reds paid £69million for the France international. At the time, it felt a little steep. He’s impressed with Eintracht Frankfurt after a disappointing time with PSG. Would he be able to transfer his output from the Bundesliga to the Premier League? Was it a substantial overpayment from a team who rarely get it wrong?
Looking at it now, you’d have to say no.
You’d have to say it was smart business to take him off the market handily. They got a deal that worked for them and then watched on as rivals scrambled for their own attacking reinforcements.
Arsenal paid £64million for Viktor Gyokeres and you have a number of fans and pundits questioning his suitability. Right now the Gunners lead the way in spite of the centre-forward’s performances for them this term. He’s not settled and he sticks out like a sore thumb.
Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko moved to Manchester United for a combined £190million - roughly £65million each. Despite two of them already having Premier League experience, both Cunha and Mbeumo have fewer goal involvement than Ekitike this term.
Both United players turn 27 this year while Ekitike is 24 in June. He’s years away from his prime and he’s still impressing in his debut season in England.
Nick Woltemade, another £65million import from the Bundesliga has really impressed for Newcastle this season with seven goals and two assists. He’s proven himself to be a good signing for the Magpies but what separates Ekitike from the Germany international is his flexibility.
Ekitike has more goals than the former VfB Stuttgart man and he’s played different roles for the Reds this term as he’s bedded in. He’s played alongside Isak. He’s leading the line. He’s pressed from the front and he’s adept at running the channels. He’s not just a 6ft6 striker who needs specific conditions to thrive.
And it’s why Ekitike is proving himself to be so dangerous.
Against Burnley, he topped the charts for shots (six). Against Marseille, he was a menace, having a goal chalked off for offside and smashing the woodwork after a good team move. He scored and assisted against Barnsley in the FA Cup, assisted Florian Wirtz against Wolves and scored five across games versus Spurs, Brighton and Leeds.
He tops the charts for goal involvements for Liverpool this term (10). He has the highest expected goals (xG) for the team, the second highest xG on a per 90 basis behind Fede Chiesa and ranks first for shots per 90 if the Italian’s limited sample size is excluded.
He’s a genuine goal threat and something of a creator too, ranking sixth for xA for the Reds.
Across the 1,227 minutes in the English top flight, he has eight goals and two assists with an xG average of 0.47 and a goals per 90 average of 0.59. As far as money well spent goes, you’d be hard pressed to find a better value for money signing this summer when assessing all of the strikers on the move.
Just like with Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, the idea that Liverpool overspent has quickly disappeared and Ekitike is now being viewed as a bargain.
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