Former Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has delivered glowing praise for Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike, comparing the Frenchman to some of the greatest centre forwards the Premier League has ever seen.
Despite a difficult season for Liverpool as a whole, Sherwood believes Ekitike has stood out as an exceptional performer, drawing parallels with legends such as Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer.
Signed from Eintracht Frankfurt last July in a deal that could rise to £79 million, Ekitike arrived with relatively modest expectations.
Much of the early spotlight was on Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and other high profile forwards across the league, but the 22 year old has quietly emerged as Liverpool’s most decisive attacking force.
His brace in Saturday’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Newcastle took his tally to 15 goals in all competitions, underlining his growing influence at Anfield.
A rare modern number nine
Speaking to CasinoStugan, Sherwood suggested that Ekitike stands out in an era where traditional number nines are increasingly rare.
“I don’t think there is a huge amount of depth when it comes to number nines in the game at the moment. You around the world and who everyone is fighting over. You’ve got Erling Haaland and we talk about Benjamin Sesko, Nick Woltemade and even Viktor Gyokeres, and they’re not like Alan Shearer or Thierry Henry or Les Ferdinand or Teddy Sheringham.
“You don’t see many proper centre-forwards now because teams aren’t playing towards them like they used to.
According to Sherwood, Ekitike offers qualities that are now difficult to find in a single player.
“Ekitike has been brilliant for Liverpool and I think he would be one where you see the quality, but in the summer he was seen as the less attractive option compared to others and had a lot less noise around him. But he’s the one that has fit in, and he’s got a real all round game.
“He can run in behind, he can hold up the ball, he’s a nuisance in the box and an instinctive finisher. In a poor season for Liverpool, he’s been exceptional. In hindsight, he would have been the one striker you would have wanted to pick over the rest of them on the market.”
Proving his worth at Anfield
Sherwood also noted that Ekitike was not considered the most glamorous option during the summer transfer window, with less noise surrounding his arrival compared to other names on the market.
In hindsight, however, he feels Liverpool may have secured the most effective striker available.
The Frenchman’s impact has drawn comparisons to former Liverpool favourite Fernando Torres, who scored 24 league goals in his debut campaign.
