Hugo Ekitike welcomes starting next to Alexander Isak – but ‘not up to me!’ – Liverpool FC

Hugo Ekitike believes Alexander Isak’s presence will support his growth because the younger striker welcomed the elevated competitors at Liverpool.

Arne Slot’s Premier League champions made waves in the summertime switch window, with the 23-year-old following the likes of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez to Anfield.

Ekitike joined from Frankfurt in a deal price £69million plus a possible £10m in add-ons and has hit the bottom working, scoring 5 targets in his first 10 appearances in all competitions.

However Liverpool maintained a powerful curiosity in Newcastle sharpshooter Isak all through the summer season and received their man for a British report £125m on deadline day.

“I feel it’s good with gamers in such a giant membership,” Ekitike mentioned. “I can’t see one massive membership taking part in with just one striker, so I feel it’s good that he’s right here.

“Even for me at my age, I feel I nonetheless have a variety of issues to enhance and study, so for me it’s good that he’s right here.

“(As for if we will play collectively) that’s for the coach to resolve how he desires to play. That’s not me.

“However clearly it’s nice gamers, I’ve been taking part in in two-striker composition, one-striker… so I can do a variety of issues. If we have now to play collectively, I can try this.”

Ekitike definitely seems to be loving life at Liverpool, who he joined regardless of curiosity from the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle.

“It was simply the only option,” he mentioned. “You already know, it’s the champions of England.

“For me, they’ve nice gamers, an amazing historical past. It simply fitted with what I used to be searching for after Frankfurt.”

Ekitike was talking on the eve of Liverpool’s Champions League match at Galatasaray, the place the younger striker is in line to make his first look since final Tuesday’s embarrassing sending-off.

The Frenchman changed Isak at half-time of the Carabao Cup conflict in opposition to Southampton and went on to attain a late winner, eradicating his shirt and holding it as much as the cameras in celebration.

However the substitute had already been booked and picked up what Slot known as a “silly” purple card that dominated him out of Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Crystal Palace.

“I feel that wasn’t good,” Ekitike mentioned. “Clearly I punished myself alone, I’d say.

“I felt a bit dissatisfied to look at the boys from dwelling the final Saturday however, as I mentioned (on Instagram), I apologise to everyone already, to my team-mates.

“That sort of factor received’t occur once more. I simply transfer on now. I’m simply trying ahead to taking part in and I simply concentrate on soccer.”

Ekitike will hope to make amends in Istanbul, the place Liverpool arrived with out Federico Chiesa because of what Slot known as a “little niggle”.

The Liverpool boss didn’t wish to take any dangers with Saturday’s journey to Chelsea arising – a match he hopes to move into on the again of a morale-boosting victory in opposition to Galatasaray.

“I feel we all the time must do – irrespective of in case you win, lose or draw – what’s requested of you if you wish to compete for trophies, however not to mention in case you put on a Liverpool shirt,” Slot mentioned.

“That’s giving every little thing you’ve gotten and mixing that with one of the best soccer you possibly can play.

“We created through the course of the sport extra probabilities than we had in all of the three video games we performed earlier than in opposition to Palace, however we additionally conceded many extra probabilities than we did earlier than.

“So we will enhance, and the issues we will enhance I’ll present tonight to the gamers.”